Together Again
by Toby7
Summary: repost...SLASH MPREG Riddick meets a familar face when the ship crashes on T2. Together they try to get of the planet alive. RiddickOMC
1. Chapter 1

Hey guys! It's been forever I know! I guess I kinda fell off the map ^_^ Anyway, I'm back and I'm in the process of editing all of my stories. Starting with this one. So, some things in the chapters will be slightly different but not much really. There's just a few mistakes that I've corrected and some things that I have added in. I'm almost done with the epilogue so when I am done editing this story I should have that finished as well.

Warnings: M/M SLASH, MPREG, Harsh Language, OOC, OC, Graphic Violence/Gore, Torture/Abuse (but only the bad guys Twisted

Evil ), Alcohol Use, Adult Situations, Murder and anything else I think of will be at the top of future chapters.

Pairings: Riddick/OMC (Elijah)

Disclaimer: I don't own Pitch Black or its characters, but I do own the story, the plot, and anything else you don't recognize.

NOTE: I got most of the info from the book and movie. Other

stuff is made up

Chapter One:

Riddick's POV

They say all of your brain shuts down in cryosleep…All but the primitive side…the animal side…no wonder I'm still awake.

Transporting civilians. Sounded like forty…forty plus.

Heard an Arab voice. Probably on his way to New Mecca.

Smelled a woman, prospector type…her and her male partner. Bushwhackers. Small time mercs. Gotta keep my eyes on them.

But my real problem is Johns. The Blue-Eyed-Devil. He's planning on taking me back to slam. Only this time he picked a ghost lane…long time in between stops…a long time for something to go wrong.

Only Johns isn't what's bothering me. There's someone else here…familiar…someone I should know. Someone…important.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Third Person POV

Riddick lifted his head when the ship started going crazy. He heard lots of sounds and saw lights flashing through the small hole in the blindfold.

He heard someone land in front of him. Johns. He knew it was him. After all those years of being chased by the merc, he knew when he was close by.

Suddenly the ship crashed…the hull ripping open like a tin can taking an entire bank of lockers with it to sink down in the sand. Lost forever.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Riddick's POV

Johns had tied me up somewhere in the bulkhead. Bit in my mouth, blindfold over my eyes.

When we crashed, something hit the glass of my cryolocker breaking it. Tried to choke the life out of Johns but he beat me with a weighted baton. I couldn't see well enough to fight him off so I was captured again. But there will be another time to escape.

I heard someone walk up next to Johns. It's the familiar one. Smells male. Alien.

"So, who's this you got here?" The voice was light and silky. I stiffened slightly. It can't be him.

"Riddick. Murderer, escaped convict. He dangerous so stay away from him."

"Riddick? Th-that's Riddick?"

Oh, but you are a good actor. I didn't think I'd ever find you again. And then when I was captured…I lost all hope.

"Yeah, but don't you worry. I'll protect you." Johns said.

I smirked. He probably just flashed his holobadge.

"Oh, you're so brave." The voice sighed. I heard something slide quietly over to me as they walked off.

I looked down at the floor through the hole in the blindfold. It was a blowtorch. I grinned the best I could behind the metal bit. That's my boy.

I looked up above my head and saw that some of the bulkhead had broken during the crash. I lifted myself up and dislocated my shoulders to bring my cuffed hands through the break in the bulkhead and then brought my arms back down after I popped my shoulders back in place. I fell to the floor and grabbed the blowtorch.

I'll see you soon Elijah.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Third Person POV

"Shit!"

"What is it?" The captain—Carolyn Fry—asked.

"He's gone." Johns was standing in front of the empty bulkhead. ((This is just great. Like we need another way to die.))

He ran back outside as fast as he could. Breathing harshly as he tried to get air into his lungs. He looked off into the distance but he saw no movement. He knew that he wouldn't though. Riddick knew how to keep still for hours.

Johns swept his eyes across the area again and he saw something glinting near the crashed ship. He went over and as he got closer he saw that it was Riddick's bit.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

No one seemed too concerned about a murderer on the loose.

Fry ordered everyone to find what weapons they could. Most of it was a pile of crap. The two bushwhackers—Shazza and Zeke—had a few guns, Paris—an antiquities dealer—had some ancient weapons from Earth, and the Holy man—Imam—had a ceremonial sword.

"What's the need for all this anyway? If he's gone he's gone. Why would he bother us?" Paris asked.

"Maybe to take what you got…maybe to work your nerves…or maybe just to skull fuck you in your sleep." Johns said quietly.

Paris gulped.

"So, what do we do?"

They all looked over to the man who spoke. Elijah. He was tall…about 182 cm, he had a toned and tan body, weighed about 72 kilos, long white hair pulled up in a ponytail with long bangs framing his face, beautiful innocent green eyes—one of the things that gave him away as an alien breed. They were cat-like. Another were the ears--they were the ears of the Elven race. And then there was the unnatural grace that he possessed. The final giveaway though, was the long white silky tail that he usually kept wrapped tightly around his waist. When it wasn't around his waist it was long enough to rest on the ground.

"Just don't wander off alone." Fry said.

"Don't wander off period." Johns corrected.

Elijah nodded and then went back into the ship.

"Didn't I just say not to go anywhere?" Johns asked the others. They just shrugged.

"Here. Try this out." Shazza said to Jack. One of the four boys here. The other three were pilgrims traveling with Imam.

Jack took a hit from the breather and then nodded. It worked.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

"Let's look for water." Fry said getting everyone's attention after all the breathers were handed out. "Imam, we should go before nightfall. Zeke, I need you to dig some graves and get my crew in there." He nodded.

They heard shouting and rushed over to the other side of the ship where Azem—one of the pilgrim boys—was pointing.

A hundred degrees from where the two other suns were floating a bright blue one came into view.

"So much for your bloody nightfall." Zeke said in his Australian accent.

"Three suns?" Jack said incredulously.

"This is a good sign. Blue sun, blue water." Imam said with a smile.

"It's also the direction Riddick went." Johns said. He looked over in Imam's direction. "Still a good sign?" He unhooked his pistol and handed it to Zeke. "One shot if you spot him."

Zeke nodded.

"What if he spots us first?" Pairs asked.

"They'll be no shots." Johns smirked slightly, looking off into the distance.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Imam, the three pilgrim boys, Elijah, Johns and Fry had been walking across the vast desert for what seemed like forever.

Johns stopped and took out his scope to look for Riddick. He didn't see him, but he did see something else.

"What is it?" Fry asked.

"Looks like…trees." Johns said.

The three boys laughed and took off at a run in the direction Johns had indicated.

"Hey!" Johns yelled. But they were too far ahead.

Johns, Imam, Elijah and Fry rushed to catch up when the three boys suddenly stopped.

"Not trees." Fry said.

"It's a grave yard." Elijah said. His sharp eyes searched through the bones. He saw a dark shadow. "I think I'll take a look." He said as he walked down the hill.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Elijah's POV

Stupid humans. Stupid Johns. Always getting in the way. God, I can't believe he doesn't recognize me. Although, I'm sure once he sees me with Riddick…yeah, he'll know then.

I'm at the place where I saw the shadow. I know he's here. I look around to see if I was followed before stepping through the bones into the shadow.

"Riddick!" I hissed. "Come out. I know you're here. I can smell you." I stiffened when strong arms wrapped around my body, trapping my arms at my sides.

"And what do I smell like?" His deep gravely voice whispered in my sensitive Elvin ears. I relaxed my head against his strong shoulder and closed my eyes.

I moaned slightly when he bit the tip of my right ear. "You smell good. Like sweat, sex and danger." I paused. "Sex…who have you been having sex with?" I narrowed my eyes.

I shivered when he laughed. "You know you're the only one."

"I had better be." I growled. I lifted the mouthpiece of my breather to his lips. "Here."

"Thanks." He took a couple hits of the oxygen.

"I searched for you everyday after we were separated two months ago. And then when I heard Johns…had caught you to take you back to slam…I didn't think I'd ever see you again."

I heard him sigh. "Did you know I was on the transporter?"

"Yeah, the news of your capture made its way around the merc circuit. I dug up the information on how Johns was getting you back to slam and slipped on board the transporter when no one was looking. I was able to hack into the computer system on the ship and I reset my cryolocker to wake me up a week after we left port. The plan was to free you, get rid of Johns and the crew, then hijack the ship someplace else. Looks like I'm gonna have to think of something else now."

Riddick loosened his arms slightly and I turned to face him. "I'm not leaving without you. We're partners. That little separation was nothing and it won't happen again." I said sternly.

Riddick nodded in agreement. "Never again." He said softly.

He leaned down and kissed me. Gently at first and then harder as the kiss progressed. Two months is a long time.

I'm the only one who's ever seen this side of Riddick before. The softer side. And unless I pop out a kid anytime soon—which males of my race can do—I'll be the only one. He's not even THIS relaxed around my parents and the three of them get along great.

We broke apart when we heard someone coming. Johns. I would recognize his stench anywhere. We jumped up onto the large bone above our heads. It was only wide enough for Riddick to lie down so I got down on top of him. Didn't bother me of course.

He smirked up at me and placed a light kiss on my lips.

Johns and Fry stopped under us.

I looked over the side to see Johns inspecting the dirt. "Look at this."

Fry crouched down next to him to examine the bone fragments in the dirt.

I looked back at Riddick and he held up a freshly cut bone shiv.

I rolled my eyes when he held up one for me.

Fry and Johns went through the bones to get on the outside and Riddick and I dropped quietly to the ground when Johns left to go and search for Riddick again.

Fry was leaning against the bones changing her O2 unit.

It would be so easy to slit her throat right now. I think one of us might have had Johns not come back when he did.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Riddick and I stared at the bottle of scotch Johns left behind in the sand when he and Fry left. Riddick reached out and grabbed it and took a sip. He gave the rest to me and then filled it back up with some sand. He placed the bottle back in its original position and we waited until Johns was

out of sight.

"So what are we going to do?" I asked as I gave him another hit from my O2 unit.

Riddick sighed. "I think you should go back."

"Go back. Why?"

"If Johns sees the two of us together he's gonna know who you are and then you're gonna get caught too." Riddick said as he pushed a strand of hair behind my ear.

"You're right of course, but I don't have to like it."

Riddick grinned. "That's my boy." He kissed me again.

God, I don't think I'll ever get enough of him.

"Now, go on. I'll be around."

"Don't do anything stupid Riddick." I said.

"I won't. Promise."

I kissed him one last time and then left to catch up with the others.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

"Where have you been?" Johns asked me when I reached him and the others.

"I got left behind." I said. It was kinda the truth if you thought about it.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Well, we found water. And a human settlement, food, and an emergency space skiff. Looks like we just might get off this planet after all.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

We got back just in time to see Riddick running away from one of the graves Zeke had been digging.

Dammit, Riddick. You promised.

I growled lightly as Johns took down my mate and ripped off his goggles exposing his sensitive eyes to the sunlight. I winced as Shazza got a good kick to his face knocking him out.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

I walked into the cargo container where Riddick was being held. He didn't have his goggles but he was in the shadow so the light wasn't bothering him.

"Johns said you licked the blood clean." I said.

He lifted his head up and looked at me. "You know the only blood I lick comes from you."

I smirked and then sighed. "I thought I said not to do anything stupid."

He shrugged. "Just gonna steal his O2 unit."

I shook my head and smiled. "Here." I gave him a few hits of oxygen.

He grinned back when he was finished.

"What did you see Riddick?" I asked.

He shrugged. "I'm not sure really…" Riddick trailed off when we heard light footsteps.

I sniffed the air.

"Fry." I said. He moved back into the shadows.

"What are you doing down here?" Fry asked when she saw me standing near Riddick.

"Just wanted to see him is all." I replied. "Never seen a murderer this close before. It's exciting."

I heard Riddick snort softly behind me.

"Well, you've seen him, now beat it."

I crossed my arms over my chest. "No, I don't think I will."

"Hey, I'm the Captain and what I say—"

I interrupted her. "You are no captain Fry. I know what you tried to do, docking pilot. So don't give me that shit." I hissed. "If you want me to keep your little secret, you'll shut your fucking mouth."

She paled slightly and then nodded. When we were still in the bone yard we had heard her tell Johns that she had tried to purge the passengers to save her own skin. She also said that she was the docking pilot and not the Captain. She shouldn't have told Johns her little secret because now he's got her by the nose and I know he'll use that information against her later.

Fry talked to Riddick about the whispers he told Johns he had heard in the hole. I smirked when he answered her with the whispers in his head telling him to go for the sweet spot.

"Why not shock me with the truth?"

I growled. She's sure got some nerve.

"All you people are so scared of me. Most days I'd take that as a complement. But it ain't me you gotta worry about now."

"Show me your eyes Riddick."

My brow furrowed. "Where the fuck did that come from?"

Fry ignored me. That's ok. I was more interested in the kid coming down the steps.

"You gotta get a little closer for that."

I turned back to Riddick when he said that.

"Closer." Riddick whispered.

When she was a foot from him he leaped out at her. The chains just stopping him from reaching Fry.

She jumped and then relaxed when she saw he could go no further.

"Where the Hell can I get eyes like that?"

We all looked over at Jack.

"Out!" Fry yelled.

"You gotta kill a few people first." Riddick said as if he didn't hear Fry.

"Ok, no problem." Jack said nodding eagerly.

"I said get out Jack!"

"Then you gotta get sent to a slam where they tell you you'll never see daylight again." Riddick continued. "So you dig up a doctor and you pay him 20 menthol Cools to do a surgical shine job on your eyeballs."

"So you can see who's sneaking up on you in the dark." Jack said excitedly.

"Exactly." Riddick whispered loudly.

"Enough!" Fry screamed. She walked over to Jack and pushed him back up the stairs.

"Cute kid." Riddick said with a grin.

Fry sneered.

Riddick settled back in the shadows. "So maybe I did X out a few men, but not this time. Not Zeke. You got the wrong killer."

"Then where is he? He's not in the hole." Fry pressed.

"Look deeper." Riddick said softly. He closed his eyes and smiled.

Fry watched him and then furrowed her brows when he started making a clip-clopping sound. Like hoof beats. But she didn't know what it meant.

"What the hell was that?" I asked him when Fry left.

"It's what I heard in the hole." He said.

"Did you catch that?" I asked.

Riddick raised a brow. He was used to me switching back and forth between subjects by now…he just didn't always know which topic I was switching to.

"Jack." I stated simply.

He grinned. "Maybe 'Jackie' is a better suited name."

I nodded. "So, you didn't see anything?" I asked getting back to the matter at hand.

He shook his head. "You know I'd tell you if I did."

"I know. I believe you Riddick." I stepped up to him and then gave him a thorough kiss.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

We had been talking about what we were going to do when we left this planet when I smelt Johns coming. Guess they're done searching the hole.

"Shh." I said softly and then stepped away from Riddick and into the shadows.

"Finally found something worse than me huh?" Riddick said.

"We're movin'. And I was wondering if I shouldn't just lighten the load." Johns said and pointed the gun at Riddick's head.

Riddick stood up and met Johns' eyes.

He flinched slightly when Johns pulled the trigger.

I swear in that instant my heart stopped beating.

Riddick dropped his hands to his sides when he felt the chains come loose.

"Want you to remember this moment Riddick. About the way it could've gone and didn't." Johns said, lowering his gun.

Riddick rubbed his ear, "Say that again. I've gone slightly deaf."

I grinned slightly in the shadows. My heart was still pounding in my chest.

Johns ignored him. "You work without bit, without chains…without shivs…you help us get off this rock-"

Riddick interrupted, "Why so you can send me back to slam? Fuck you." He said forcefully.

"Truth is Riddick, I'm tired of chasing you. I wanna be rid of you just as much as you wanna be rid of me." Johns spoke softly.

I rolled my eyes. He's such a liar.

"You'd turn me loose, boss?"

Johns reached out with the goggles, "I'm thinkin you coulda died in the crash."

Riddick stared at the goggles in Johns' hand. "My recommendation Johns," he started quietly, "do me. Don't take the chance I won't get shiv happy on your ass. Ghost me, mother fucker."

Johns gave an annoyed grunt. "Come on…you wanna sit at the grown up table or not?"

Riddick slowly reached out and took the goggles and then faster than Johns could see, he grabbed the gun.

I stepped out of the shadows and walked to stand next to Riddick.

"What the fuck is going on?!" Johns yelled, looking back and forth at us.

I smirked. "Something wrong, Johns?"

"I—I know you…" He trailed off.

"I would hope so. I'm appalled that it took you so long to recognize me. Actually, I think I'm more offended than appalled. What kinda cop are you?" I paused. "Oh, wait…I forgot…you're not a cop are you? Just a wannabe merc."

Johns looked back at Riddick when he heard the gun cock.

"Riddick…" Johns warned.

"FUCK YOU!" Riddick yelled, tightening his hold on the weapon.

I quickly unwrapped my tail and a heartbeat later it was cutting off Johns' oxygen. We watched as his hands clawed at my tail trying to get it loose. "You shot at my mate Johns. That's a big 'no no'." I tilted my head slightly and looked at his purple face. Smirking, I slowly started to unwrap my long tail. "I'm gonna let you go this time Merc. But you do it again and I'm gonna pop your head off your shoulders." I let go completely and watched him fall to the metal floor with a thud. "That is, if something else doesn't get to you first."

"I want you to remember this moment." Riddick stated and then emptied the shells on the floor.

Johns rolled onto his side still gasping for air.

I wrapped my tail back around my waist and we walked up the stairs and then outside. I went out first and told them that Johns said to play nice.

Riddick walked out next, and a few minuets later a red faced Johns came out rubbing his neck.

I grinned and looked away.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Third Person POV

The blue sun was lowering in the sky and the yellow and red suns on the other side rose casting a fire like glow across the desert.

Fry and Imam carried a power cell from the crash ship to put into the skiff to run system checks. The three pilgrims marched in front of them. Shazza, Paris and Jack carried a trunk full of food behind them while Johns stayed on the outside. He had his gun close at hand as he kept an eye on Riddick and Elijah who were trailing behind the group. They pulled the sled with weapons, tools, O2 units, and whatever else was deemed necessary.

Paris left Shazza and Jack to run over to Johns.

"So, what…you click your fingers and he's one of us now?" Paris whined.

"Don't forget Elijah. He's just as dangerous." Johns said thinking back to what happened earlier. He had told everyone about Elijah before they all left for the settlement.

"Oh, yes." Paris said. He had forgotten about Elijah. It was easy to forget about him because he was so innocent looking. But just take one look at how comfy he was around Riddick…and you could see the killer.

Paris fell behind when he dropped one of his bottles of alcohol. He went back to retrieve it only to see that it was in the hands of Riddick.

Paris cleared his throat. "Paris P. Ogilvie, antiquities dealer, entrepreneur." He held out his hand to Riddick.

Riddick grinned and shook it, "Richard B. Riddick. Escaped convict. Murderer." He let go.

Elijah smirked and grabbed the hand Riddick had the bottle in. He uncorked it and took a swallow. Then he took the bottle away and held it to his mate's lips. Riddick drank the rest, his left hand over Elijah's fingers on the bottle and his right hand resting on Elijah's lower back.

Paris scurried off when Elijah handed the empty bottle back.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

"So can I talk to them now?" Jack asked.

"No!" Johns, Shazza, and Fry yelled.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Riddick POV

"I really like that kid. Can we bring her with us?" Elijah asked me. Everyone was far enough ahead of us that I could act how I wanted with him and no one would be the wiser.

"I don't see why not. Whatever you want. I just thought you wanted us to have one of our own someday." I shrugged.

Elijah dropped the chain he was using to help pull the sled and stood in front of me with his hands on my chest. "Of course I want us to have one of our own!" He hissed quietly. "That's not the point. You know I have to have kids…that my body is going to tell me to get pregnant everyday of my adult life until I do." He shook his head. "And since you're my mate…it's only a bonus that the kid will be half yours." He unwrapped his tail and it brushed against my cheek. "But I don't want to leave her here Riddick. Not if we don't have to."

I nodded. "Alright." I said grabbing the tail. I stroked it gently with my fingers. It's one of the most sensitive spots on his body. It can also be the most painful. It's one of his weaknesses.

He leaned his head against my chest and started purring.

"You keep doing that and I won't be able to help you pull the sled." My body muffled his voice.

I laughed quietly but let go of his tail. He wrapped it back around his waist.

"Come on Cat." I said.

"You haven't called me that in a while." Elijah said with a smile.

I smiled back.

He picked up the chain and we started pulling again. We didn't get very far because the rest of the group had stopped to look at the pinnacles that were shooting up from the ground. I was told that when Fry had gone down in that hole to look for Zeke, that she encountered something in there. She got stuck in one of the pinnacles and the group had to dig her out before the creature got a hold of her.

I looked over at Elijah. "What's in there?"

He took a sniff and then shook his head. "They don't have a smell Riddick….But I can hear them." He shook his head again. "What they're hearing is the clicking of one of the pilgrim's beads."

"Take a look."

Elijah nodded and then concentrated on one of the pinnacles. Using his second Sight, Elijah is able to look through any surface and see what's on the other side. "Well, they're not in there." He looked around. "So where's the sound coming from." He looked around again. "Christ!" He hissed and stumbled back against me. "They're everywhere!"

"How many, Cat?"

"Thousands." He paused. "But that's only over here." He stood back up. "We have to go."

I nodded and we started pulling the sled again. Up ahead, the others started moving as well.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

We reached the settlement about ten minutes later. The skiff looks like a piece of shit. But it's the only thing that's gonna get me and Elijah off this fuckin' rock. And I guess we're taking Jack with us.

"Looks a little ratty-ass." Johns said shaking his head.

"Nothing we can't fix." Fry said. I could tell she was nervous about the power cell that she dented while bring it out of the crash ship.

"Well, it's no star jumper." Shazza said.

"It doesn't need to be. Use it to get back up to the Sol Track shipping lanes, stick out a thumb and get picked up." I said and then turned to Fry. "Right, captain?"

She looked at Johns and then back at me. Probably wondering how I know this stuff. I'm sure Johns will inform her of all my skills the next chance he gets.

"Little help here?" Fry motioned to the damaged cell.

I moved to pick it up, but Johns blocked my path.

"Why don't you check those containers over there to see if there is anything to patch the wings with."

I shrugged and then threw my right arm around Elijah's shoulders, pulling him along. He wrapped his tail around my waist and then glanced back at the ship.

He probably doesn't want us to see what the insides of the ship look like. What Johns doesn't know, is that Elijah can take a look at the inside of the ship anytime he wants with his Sight. Doesn't matter though. Our time will come soon. And then we'll be outa here.

End Chapter One

Tell me what you guys think of it.

NOTES:

182cm is about 6'0 I think.

72 kilos is about 160 pounds.

Later!


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER TWO

(MIND SPEACH)

((PERSONAL THOUGHTS))

Third Person POV

While the young pilgrims worked on getting the water machine fixed, a hundred miles away from them, Imam helped Fry adapt the damaged power cell to the skiff's outdated electrical system.

After getting it in place, Fry flipped the 'ON' switch. A moment later the ship's interior lit up.

Fry exhaled. "Ok, this should be enough for a system check. But we're gonna need more cells to get out of here."

"How many?" Johns asked.

"We'll need five total to launch." Fry replied.

"Fifty kilos each." Johns said to himself. ((It'll take a day to get all those cells here.))

"There's a Sand Cat out there. I'll see if I can get it running." Shazza said.

The Sand Cat was designed to haul mining samples across the rough alien terrain so it'll make getting the cells back to the settlement much easier.

"Do it." Johns said. "And if you need any help…" Johns trailed off as he looked out the window. His eyes narrowed. "Where's Riddick and Elijah?"

&&&&&&

Riddick POV

We went walking through the ghost town to see if we could find out what had happened here. What we found was interesting to say the least…dead gardens, upended chairs, broken windows, scattered utensils, pictures lying on the ground-the glass broken, clothes still on the racks. All signs that something had gone wrong. But what?

I looked down at Elijah, it seemed that he was at a loss as well.

We stopped walking and Elijah stood in front of me. He wrapped both arms around my waist and looked up in to my eyes. Even with the goggles, he could see them.

"What is it?" I asked.

"I don't want to wait anymore Riddick. Our bond has faded to the point that I can't even sense you…can't hear you." He paused and leaned his head on my chest. "Please."

The bond. That's something that I've missed. Not being able to hear his voice in my head, not being able to sense his emotions, not being able to sense him period. To reestablish our bond we need to reopen our claim marks and then drink the others' blood. That'll get us a temporary bond anyhow. To make it permanent, we'd have to have sex. But this isn't the time for that.

"Come on." I said pulling him along by his hand.

&&&&&&

Third Person POV

They entered a small building with tables and lab equipment scattered about the room. Riddick brought Elijah over to the closest table and lifted him to sit on top of it.

"I love you, Riddick." Elijah whispered.

Riddick gave a broad smile to his mate. "And I love you." He whispered back.

Riddick lifted his right hand and gently rubbed the skin on the left side of Elijah's neck. Under his fingers was the scar he had given him five years ago when they had mated. It was almost completely gone because of their two month long separation. He leaned down and kissed it. Elijah sighed. It was another weak spot.

Riddick felt his canines get longer and shaper as the genes he inherited from Elijah's blood woke up from their two month long sleep.

He bit down into the mark and drank the sweet blood of his mate. Elijah would do it next…the dominate always went first.

Elijah moaned and wrapped his arms around Riddick.

Riddick stopped and licked Elijah's neck causing the wound to close up.

He tilted his head to the right and Elijah went for the mark on the left side.

It was heaven.

&&&&&&

(Can you hear me?) Riddick asked.

Elijah laughed, (Yes. And it is most wonderful to hear your voice in here again. To have your presence in the back of my mind. To know that you're there.) Elijah leaned in and kissed Riddick long and hard. After a moment, they broke apart panting.

Riddick leaned his forehead against Elijah's and sighed.

"Come on. Let's go look around some more…see if we can figure out what happened here." Riddick pulled Elijah down off the table and guided him outside.

They walked around the town of rundown buildings, until they came to one of the biggest structures.

They walked over to the entrance. It was partially covered by a tarp, so Riddick reached up and moved it out of the way. The writing on the door said: 'Coring Room'.

Elijah went to open the door, but found it chained from the inside. He looked up at Riddick. "What do you think it means?"

"I don't know." Riddick said looking back at the door. "Take a look."

Elijah did. "They're in there. Little ones. Up in the rafters. So, lets just not go in this room, unless we have to. Ok?" He looked up at his mate.

Riddick nodded.

"Johns." Elijah whispered when he caught his sent coming toward them.

"You're missin' the party, c'mon." Johns said to them. He whistled and then pat his leg.

They turned to face him. Johns grinned and then left.

Elijah nodded up to the tarp covering a piece of the coring room. Riddick pulled the tarp all the way off the building and raised an eyebrow at Jack hiding underneath. They noticed that she had shaved her head and had found a pair of broken goggles. "Missin' the party, c'mon." He mimicked to her.

"I guess I got me a groupie now." He said to a grinning Elijah.

Riddick threw an arm around his mate's shoulders and they left.

&&&&&&

Elijah's POV

We were the last ones to enter the communal room, Riddick, Jack and I. Jack went over to sit in between Johns and Fry.

Paris looked at Jack and then Riddick. "It's the winner of the look alike contest." He said to Fry.

On the table in the middle of the room were glass goblets that Paris had dug up somewhere. They were filled with water.

Riddick and I were the last to take a glass.

The water was a little dirty but that didn't matter. Drinking that water after not having it for so long was like tasting Riddick's blood for the first time. Well, maybe not as good as his blood but it definitely came close.

I leaned back against Riddick's chest as I drank. I closed my eyes and savored the moment. For the time being everything was perfect. I found Riddick, our bond was strong, we have water…it was marvelous. Now, we just gotta get rid of Johns and get out of here.

"So what are you?" Jack asked.

I opened my eyes and looked at her. I knew she was talking to me. I was the only one in this room who wasn't human…well unless you count Riddick…he inherited some of my traits when we bonded. Like better hearing, sense of smell, keener eyesight, quicker healing and a few other things that came in handy for him.

"I am a half breed. Part Elf and part Neko." I said taking another sip of water.

"Neko…that's the cat race right?" Shazza said.

"Yeah. My father is Neko and my…well, my mother—who is male—is from the Elven race."

"You're mother is a guy?" Jack asked.

"Yes. You see, when the Elven race was dying out, the Valar blessed the males with the gift to create life. That way there was more of a chance for the Elves to grow in numbers. So now males are able to bear children same as the females." I said.

"So…you can have kids too? Or you can't because you're only half." Jack asked.

"No, I can have them." I said with a smile.

"Cool." Jack returned my smile.

It was quiet for a moment.

"So who were these people?" Paris asked. "Miners?"

"I'd say geologists." Shazza corrected.

(Probably from the Company.) Riddick said to me.

I nodded.

"Why'd they leave their ship?" Jack asked.

No one answered. That's because they don't want to face the truth. I think Riddick and I may have an idea of what happened here.

"It's not a ship really. Just a space skiff." Johns said, breaking the silence.

"Like an emergency life raft?" Paris asked.

"Yeah. They probably had a drop ship take them off planet." Shazza said. "Long gone."

I heard Riddick sigh.

"These people didn't leave. Whatever got Zeke got them." Riddick said.

I smirked when everyone turned to glare in our direction.

"Why do you think they left their clothes on the lines? Pictures on the walls? C'mon now think about it…these people **didn't** leave." Riddick said again.

I searched their faces as they processed this possibility. Imam was the only one who wasn't paying attention. He was looking out the dusty window. I glanced around the room again and then at the table in the middle. There was an unclaimed goblet of water. I grimaced. One of the pilgrims was missing. Ali, I think.

"Maybe they had weight limits." Shazza said forcefully. "You don't know."

"I know that you don't fuckin' break out the fuckin' emergency skiff unless there is a fuckin' emergency." I said forcefully. These people just didn't get it.

"He's fuckin' right." Jack agreed. (Well, at least Jack is willing to listen to reason.) I said to Riddick, grinning.

"Watch your mouth." Johns said to Jack and then looked back in our direction. "No one wants to here what you think about—"

Fry cut him off. "So what happened?"

"Has anyone seen Ali?" Imam asked turning around to face us.

We all glanced over at him.

"Has anyone checked the 'Coring Room'?" Riddick asked.

As if in answer a faint scream could be heard in the distance.

&&&&&&

We were all outside the entrance of the 'Coring Room'. Johns pulled out his gun and shot through the door.

The chains fell to the ground when Imam banged against the door with his shoulder.

We looked inside. It was empty…and quiet. ((Where did the creatures go?))

"Go on Riddick." Johns said nodding his head towards the open doors.

My tail shot out and wrapped itself tightly around Riddick's waist. "You got the big gauge Johns, you fuckin' go!" I yelled at him. Johns was really asking for it.

He scowled.

"Looks like I'm stuck." Riddick said folding his large muscular arms across his chest.

Johns spit in the dirt and then hesitantly stepped through the entrance.

Imam followed. "Ali?" He called. "Ali?" He tried a little louder.

My eyes shot over to the side of the room when I heard a faint rattling coming from behind the door. I looked through it with my Sight.

My mouth dropped open at what I saw. It was Ali. He had been torn to shreds…cuts everywhere, skin missing…his **eyes** were gone. And behind him were a flock of those creatures. It was the little ones from the rafters. He had stumbled into their nest.

Imam carefully opened the door and I pulled Riddick back out of the range of the entrance where we were standing with the others. I rested my head on his chest, listening to the screeches from the aliens as they flew around the room and then disappeared down the coring shaft.

(What did you see?) Riddick asked me.

Instead of telling him, I showed him. It is another thing that we can do as a bonded pair…share memories.

He held me tight until I got my bearings. I wrapped my tail back around my waist.

The other's gasped suddenly and then rushed inside.

They must have found the boy.

After a moment Riddick took me by the hand and led me inside. I saw Johns walking quietly over to the coring shaft and then take a quick peek. He pulled a flare off his belt, lit it and then threw it down to the bottom of the shaft.

Riddick let go and walked over to stand next to Johns and looked down.

"I guess we know what happened to those people now, huh?" Riddick smirked and then walked back over to me. We left and went back to the settlement.

Nobody slept for the rest of the twin-sun day.

&&&&&&

Riddick POV

When the blue sun rose in the bright sky, the pilgrims and Imam held a memorial service for Ali. Paris and Jack joined in.

Elijah and I followed Johns and Shazza back to the Coring Room where Fry was already inside.

She didn't even notice us; so fixed on the shelves lining the wall.

"Why do you think they had this door chained up?" Shazza asked looking around.

"Not sure." Johns answered moving closer to Fry.

Fry glanced up and looked at me.

"Other buildings weren't secure." I said.

Elijah hooked his left arm through my right and leaned against my side.

Johns whirled around at my voice. (What kinda merc is he to not know when he's being followed? Especially by one of us.) I sent to Elijah.

I grinned when Elijah chuckled.

"So they ran in here. Heaviest doors. They thought they'd be safe here. But they forgot to lock the cellar." I finished and then Elijah and I walked over to the shaft to look down inside. Shazza followed. I lifted up my goggles so I could see. The bottom was full of the bones from the settlers…picked clean.

"So that's what happened to my Zeke?" Shazza asked. She looked at me. "And you were there. **You** were going to kill him." She sneered.

"No. Just gonna steal his O2." I said with a shrug. "But I noticed that he didn't hesitate to try and ghost my ass when he killed that survivor from the crash."

I was referring to the man that Zeke shot when he saw him in front of Shazza at the crashed ship right after I escaped. He shot him up good with Johns' pistol.

Shazza looked away and then looked back at me. "Here, take it." She gave me her O2.

"What? It broken?" I asked.

She shook her head. "Still got a few hits left." She turned away again. "Startin' to acclimate anyway."

Liar. But I took the breather anyway.

I looked over at Johns when he spoke to Fry.

"Ok, so let's board this shaft up and get the fuck outa here. These things seem to stick to the dark so if we stick to the light we should—"

Fry cut him off. "Twenty-two years." She said quietly.

"What?" Johns asked annoyed.

"These coring samples are dated. The last one was twenty-two years ago today." She said.

"So…" Johns said. "What's it have to do with anything?"

"I don't know…" Fry trailed off and then walked quickly out of the building muttering something about the settlement house and an Orrery.

I looked down at Elijah. He shrugged.

&&&&&&

We followed Fry into the Orrery. Imam, the pilgrims, Jack and Paris joined us soon after.

Fry went straight to a solar powered mechanical galaxy that tracked the planet's orbit around the three suns. The device had a year counter and at the moment it was passing 17.

Fry moved the planets with her hand to make it go faster. The counter clicked past 18, 19, 20, 21, 22.

She stopped at that number and we all saw it. The immense ringed planet that was nearby covered all three suns and plunged this planet into complete darkness.

Total eclipse.

"You gotta be shittin' me." Johns muttered.

I smirked and gave Shazza back the breather.

Looking around at the others I spoke, "You're not afraid of the dark are you?"

End Chapter Two

A/N: Anything I use pertaining to the elves I get from Lord of the Rings…except for the MPREG…that's something I added in. It would be cool if it was in the LotR series, but it's not.


	3. Chapter 3

So, I know it's been like forever, right? Haha. Sorry about that. I'm gonna try and get back into the groove of things. Starting where I left off, which was editing this story. So, here's chapter three. Hope you enjoy it

Chapter 3

Fry crossed the campground quickly, yelling orders to everyone. "We gotta get those power cells from the ship." She stopped outside the skiff. "Fuck. I still gotta check out the hull and patch up the wings…we never got to those."  
She kicked the dirt. "Dammit."

"I'd wait on those cells if I were you."

Fry turned quickly around to face Johns. Had she heard him right? "Wait?  
You want to **WAIT**? For what Johns? Till it's so dark that we won't be able to see a goddamn thing?"

"We're not sure when this thing is gonna happen, Fry, so lets not—"

Fry interrupted him. "Just get the fucking cells here Johns. What's the discussion?"

Johns glanced around to see if anyone was watching and then motioned her to go aboard the skiff. "I ever tell you how Riddick escaped?"

That caught her attention.

Johns told her in graphic detail…especially the parts about Riddick carving his victim's body to pieces. But that wasn't what scared Fry the most.

"He can pilot?" Fry whispered. Piloting required superior intelligence and intense training. It also made Riddick more dangerous. Once the skiff was repaired…what was stopping him and Elijah from leaving them all behind?

"So can Elijah." Johns said. "But Riddick hijacked a prison transport to escape slam. He made a helluva good run before I caught him."

"Ok, well, maybe it's a good thing that they have these skills…I mean, maybe we can use them to help out with—"

"Won't work." Johns interrupted.

"You said we could trust Riddick…that there was a deal to let him go free." Fry countered.

"That's what I said."

"You're playing a dangerous game here Johns." Fry muttered.

"Maybe you haven't noticed, but chains don't work on this guy. The only way everyone will be safe, is if he believes that he is going free." He thought for a minute. "Elijah too."

"You mean if he learns that you're gonna royally fuck them over." Fry sneered.

Johns ignored her. "We wait to bring the cells at the last possible moment…when the skiff is all fixed up and we're ready to launch."

Fry stared at him in amazement. Johns was more evil then he made Riddick out to be. The man was OBSESSED with Riddick. From what she could tell…it was Johns who was the psycho.

"Look, they haven't harmed any of us, as far as I can tell neither of them have lied to us either. Just stick to the deal, Johns. Let them go if that's what it takes."

"He's a murderer. Hell, both of them are! The law says they gotta do their bid and there ain't nothin' I can do about it."

"You're dancing on razor blades Johns." Fry said quietly

"I'm not gonna give him a chance to grab another ship." Johns left the skiff in search of Riddick. He didn't have to look far. As he descended the stairs, he saw  
Riddick and Elijah sitting in the shade of the skiff. Riddick was shaving his head with Imam's knife. Johns glanced back to the cockpit, measuring the distance. He seemed to be out of earshot.

Riddick POV

After we saw Johns and Fry walk inside the skiff, Elijah and I sat down in the shade against the side.

I turned to look at Elijah when he sighed.

"What's wrong?"

He closed his eyes. "It's just so fucking hot."

I smirked. "When we get off this planet we'll go and visit your parents on that ice planet they're staying on. How's that sound?"

"Wonderful." Elijah replied, wiping the sweat from his brow.

We looked up as Johns came down the ramp. When he didn't look in our direction I went back to shaving my head while Elijah leaned back against the ship.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Johns look at us and then glance back in the direction of the cockpit.

"Thought we said no shivs." Johns said with a fake smile.

I stopped and looked at the knife I'd taken from Imam. "What this?" I turned the knife over and then looked at Johns through my black goggles. "This is just a personal grooming appliance."

Johns opened his mouth to say something when he got dizzy suddenly and leaned against the ship. He was shaking.

"Bad sign." Elijah said, opening his eyes and watching me drag the blade carefully across my skull. "Shaking like that in this heat."

The pilgrims were hard at work, carrying a heavy roll of Vectran—the wing fabric—all the way from the crashed ship to the skiff.

Elijah and I were off to the side working on constructing a crude cutting frame from metal pipes.

A short distance away, Shazza worked on getting the Sand Cat fixed. The young girl, Jack, was helping her out.

Well, she was helping out whenever she wasn't looking over in our direction, at least.

"Are you listening, boy?"

We looked up at Shazza's yell.

"I said hand me that wrench!"

Jack handed it to the older woman without glancing in her direction.

"So this is what it's like to have a fan, huh?" Elijah asked and smirked in my direction.

I laughed and then pulled him up against my body. "Wanna give her something to really be a fan of?"

Elijah laughed and then leaned up to kiss me.

We stopped after a few seconds and glanced in Jack's direction. She was staring at us with her mouth hanging wide open.

We laughed again and got back to work.

A few minutes later the pilgrims returned with the Vectran and helped me drape the heavy fabric over the cutting frame. Then, Imam climbed onto the skiff's exposed wing struts.

I went behind the silvery Vectran and cut through the fabric with a long knife. I then handed the trim to Rashad who went onto the skiff's wings and handed the section to Imam. The Muslim hand-stitched the material to the struts quickly.

Before cutting the next section, I located my mate. He was standing off to the side of us, staring out onto the horizon.

(What do you see?) I asked him.

(Nothing. The blue sun is setting. There is nothing unusual…yet.) He said, looking back at me.

I nodded and cut another piece for Imam.

(Let's go see what Fry is up too.) I said looking in his direction.

Once inside the skiff, the cockpit hatch closed. Fry's attention was focused on the monitor. She didn't even know we were inside wither her.

"Looks like we're a few shy." I said watching as Fry whirled around to stare at us.

Fry glanced down at my right hand, where Imam's long blade was dangling, and then back up.

"Power cells, I mean."

"They're coming…when we get the Sand Cat finished." Fry whispered.

"Strange, not doin' a check on the main drive yet," Elijah pointed out. "Unless…Johns told you the details of Riddick's last escape." He folded his arms across his chest and let his long tail fall to the floor with a heavy thump, catching Fry's attention.

"I got the quick and ugly version." She said.

"Did you?" I asked amused. "And now you're worried about a repeat of history." I stated.

"Entered our minds."

I stepped closer. "I asked what you thought, Fry."

"You scare me Riddick. You both do. Is that what you guys wanted to hear? Well, I admitted it. Can I get back to work now?" She turned her back on us and I stepped up behind her to study the controls. The cabin pressure was building.

"Think Johns is a do right man?" I whispered in her ear. She shivered slightly. "Think I can trust him to cut us loose?"

"Why? What'd you hear?" Her voice was strained…body, tense.

"Well, guess if it was trickeration he'd just X me out, huh?" I whispered against her neck. "Then again…we AREworth twice as much alive."

Her body tensed even more.

"Didn't know? Johns AIN'T a cop. He's got the badge…but he's just another merc. And Elijah and I? We're just another payday. That's why he won't never kill us…why he won't let us go." I moved back to her ear, "the creed is greed."

Fry whirled around. "Shove it Riddick."

I raised an eyebrow.

"We aren't going to turn on one another. No matter how hard you try."

(Never mentioned turning on anybody.) I said to Elijah.

"Don't truly know what's gonna happen when the lights go out, Carolyn. But I do know that once the dyin' starts…this little psycho fuck family of ours is gonna rip itself apart from the inside. So you better find out the truth." I paused, "because  
when the lights go out…you better know EXACTLY who's standin' right behind you."

"_Hull integrity…100 percent." _The computer droned suddenly.

The hatch hissed open and I walked towards it, Elijah already going down the ramp.

I paused. "Ever wonder why Johns shakes like that? Ask him." I started down the ramp. "And ask him why your crew-pal had to scream like that 'fore he died."

Third Person

Fry walked into one of the small buildings she'd seen Johns go into a few minutes before. Just as she entered, she saw him bring a syringe up to his eye and inject the fluid.

He was so engrossed in what he was doing that he didn't hear her enter.

"So, who are you really?"

Her question startled him. Johns turned to look at Fry.

"You're not a real cop are you?" She continued.

"Never said I was." Johns stated.

"Never said you were a hype either." Fry muttered as she opened one of the red  
shotgun shells sitting on a desk. There were at least thirty shells.

"Little morphine in the morning, so what?" He said, recovering his composure.

Fry looked at him with seething contempt. "Well, you got two mornings here…weren't you born lucky." She said sarcastically throwing a red shell to the ground.

Johns' body jerked slightly, as if he wanted to reach down and pick it up. "Not a problem unless you make it one."

"You made it a problem when you let Owens die like that." Fry hissed. "When you had enough drugs to knock out an army of junkies."

"Owens was already dead. His brain just hadn't caught on to that fact."

Fry sneered in disgust. "Anything else I should know about you Johns? Christ, here I am just letting you roll the dice with all of our lives and you're—"

Johns cut her off when he grabbed her wrists suddenly and forced her into an embrace. He pressed her hands against the small of his back underneath his shirt. She stopped struggling to get away, when she felt what was under her fingers. It was hard and leathery, running along his spine.

Johns let her hands go and turned so she could see. A thick jagged scar zigzagged his spine.

"My first run in with Riddick. Went for the sweet spot and missed. They had to leave a piece of the shiv in there." Johns added, his eyes locking with hers. "I can feel it sometimes you know." He stated. "Feel it moving under my skin. Like little spiders. So maybe the care and feeding of my nerve-ends is my business."

"You still coulda helped and you didn't."

Johns shrugged and began gathering his shells. "Yeah, well, look to thine own ass first." He paused looking at Fry to see if she caught his reference to the purging. She had. "Right, Carolyn?"

The pilgrim boys came running inside. "Captain! Captain! Come quick!"

Fry moved past them. "I'm not your fucking captain." She muttered.

The pilgrims followed her back outside, while Johns stayed behind to finish what he'd started.

The crash survivors were all gathered on a ridge, looking at the shimmering sky. An immense arch curved overhead.

They all watched as the huge black shadow kept rising, inching toward the twin suns.

Shazza was the fist to rouse from her trance. She grabbed Fry's shoulder and shook her. "If we need anythin' from the crash ship we'd best kick on! That Sand Cat's solar."

The group raced to the vehicle jumping on. The only ones missing were Riddick, Elijah and Johns.

"Where's Riddick and Elijah?" Jack asked worriedly.

"Leave them. They wouldn't wait for us." Paris said and then started when the two in question suddenly jumped onto the moving Sand Cat. "Thought we'd lost you." Paris stuttered.

"Johns!" Shazza yelled.

He was coming out of the building and was running toward the Sand Cat. He wasn't going to make it. At least, he wouldn't have, but Riddick pulled him up onto the vehicle.

"Wouldn't want you to miss this." Riddick whispered to him.

Elijah POV

I turned to look behind us as we crashed through the bone yard. (It's happening too quickly. We're not gonna make it to the ship and then back to the skiff in time.)

(I know.) Riddick turned his head to look at me. (But we need those cells.)

I sighed and then leaned slightly against Riddick's right shoulder when he pressed closer to my side.

Suddenly we hit a rough bump tossing some of the flares over the side. (Fuck. We needed those flares…well the others need them at least.)

Behind us, the shadow spread across the desert as if it was following us. Shazza kept the Cat moving, skillfully guiding the bulky machine through the canyon graveyard. As we crashed through a massive ribcage, the Cat's roll-bar smashed out some low-bridge bones, showering us with sharp bone chips.

Finally we reached the ship, but it was already too late. We all leaped off the Cat and sprinted to the cargo container.

I stopped suddenly and turned to look behind us. I watched in awe as the gigantic black planet swallowed up the universe.

(The darkness is coming…are you ready?)

(Always.) Riddick whispered into my mind.

End Chapter Three.


	4. Chapter 4

CHAPTER FOUR

The survivors reached the battery bay quickly to get the power cells. Johns was the first to take a cell from its socket and started dragging it over the deck. A second later Riddick yanked out two more and swung one up on to each shoulder. Elijah was next to grab a cell; he laughed slightly when he saw his mate pass by Johns with a kiss-my-ass grin on his face.

Not about to be shown up by his prisoner, Johns awkwardly shouldered the heavy object and stumbled after Riddick.

Riddick dumped his two cells onto the back of the Sand Cat when Shazza wheeled it closer to the ship. Johns dropped his cell next to the other two with a loud thump and then raced after Riddick. Fry loaded the cutting torches onto the Cat and then went back to help Jack with the case of food rations. Elijah was next with his cell. He placed it on the vehicle and then stopped to wait for his mate. Riddick emerged a second later hauling the last power cell. He placed it on top of the others. Johns came out a second later scowling.

Riddick turned to look at Elijah. He asked.

"It's almost complete…we're not gonna make it." Elijah said glancing up into the sky.

Riddick followed his gaze. He was right. The planet's dark ring already blotted out the yellow sun and the red sun's glare highlighted the nearby pinnacles.

Riddick looked back at Elijah and grinned. "Last call."

Elijah laughed and gave Riddick a shove.

"Don't stop working!" Fry shouted coming out of the ship with Jack. They put the case of food on the Sand Cat and then went back towards the ship.

Their daylight was almost up. As the orange sky darkened a high-pitched squeal sounded.

"Keep working! Don't stop!" Fry yelled; she was warning everyone not to get distracted by the sounds. However it seemed that Paris couldn't resist. He looked off into the direction of the sounds. He noticed they were getting louder. Paris glanced over at the pinnacles standing tall in the distance. ((The sounds are definitely coming from those.)) He thought to himself. He shifted the case of liquor in his arms and started towards the Sand Cat. He didn't get too far, however, because the giant ring began covering the red sun. Only the fading halos of orange light around the pinnacles kept the awaiting darkness at bay.

Suddenly a second darkness covered the survivors. They all stopped and  
looked toward the growing high-pitched noise. When Fry located the source of the noise she felt faint.

It billowed out of the pinnacles like black smoke. Lit up by the fading orange light it appeared to be thick volcanic ash spewing from the hollow peaks. But after a few seconds Fry realized that she was looking at living creatures, squealing in delight over their very first nightfall.

"How many…?" Johns trailed off as the hatchlings kept coming out in waves.

((Thank god they're moving away from us.)) Fry though, gaping at the dense black clouds flying across the sky. It was wishful thinking, however, because one huge wave broke away from the group and peeled back toward the survivors.

"Just a suggestion," Paris said, backing toward the ship, "but perhaps you should flee!"

"Everyone in the cargo hold!" Fry yelled.

They all ran for the safety of the ship. Fry reached the ship and turned back to see Shazza, Riddick and Elijah still coming. Just behind them, the squealing torrent of hatchlings descended like a tornado.

Riddick tackled Elijah so that they lay face down in the dirt; he kept his left arm around Elijah's back to make sure he stayed down. A few feet away from Riddick, Shazza hit the ground an instant before the creatures swooped low, skimming just inches over their heads. They seemed to suck everything from the air, leaving nothing for Shazza to breathe. She kept her eyes tightly closed as the aliens flew over her. She was weak with fear.

Riddick and Elijah on the other hand were fascinated. Carefully Riddick turned over onto his back and eased his bone shiv into the black mass above him. Instantly something slapped at it. He pulled it back to see that the shiv had been whittled down to a jagged nub. (It's like a river of razors.) He sent to Elijah.

Next to them, Shazza's heart was pounding. She lay huddled against the ground with her fists clenched tightly together. Her nerves were frayed and when she heard a discordant screech inside her head she whipped her head up and sent a panicked look towards the ship. ((Not that far.)) Shazza thought. She started crawling slowly on her belly toward the ship.

Suddenly, the swarm disappeared. Shazza looked around to see that the aliens were gone. Slowly she got to her feet.

From the Cargo hold, Jack watched as the black mass rose up in the sky and circled. A moment later Shazza stood up.

"Stay there! Shazza! Stay down! Don't move! JUST STAY DOWN!" Jack yelled. She saw Riddick quickly flip over and reach out his right hand then take a swipe at Shazza's legs to trip her. He missed. She had already started running for the ship.

"NO! NO!" Jack shrieked as the dark cloud gathered above Shazza's head. "NO! SHAZZA!"

Shazza heard Jack's yell too late. She half-turned as the screaming cloud enveloped her—then vanished.

Jack stood at the mouth of the hold, looking out at the spot Shazza had been standing just a moment before.

Without warning the black creatures blew past the doors. Jack jumped back quickly. She caught a glimpse of Shazza whirling in the center of the screeching group. Shazza's body was shredded into bloody strips before she disappeared into the lowering darkness.

The others saw it too. They all moved away from the open doors. But Jack moved closer to the opening. She watched helplessly as Riddick checked his surroundings, took a hold of Elijah's right hand and slowly pulled them both to their feet.

((Too slow.)) Jack thought. She tried to shout, but she seemed to have lost her voice.

Riddick and Elijah dusted themselves off and started walking towards the Cargo hold.

A familiar clicking rose up behind the two of them.

"Ready?" Riddick asked, looking at Elijah.

Elijah nodded.

Fry moved to the doors to stand next to Jack. She knew that sound better than anyone.

CLICKETY CLICK…CLICKETY CLICK…

As the sound grew louder, Fry saw Riddick bend over and pick something up out of the dirt. It was a breather. Shazza's. He dropped it back on the ground. Fry looked behind the two men and saw the pinnacles crumbling. To her, they looked as if they were being eaten from within.

The only light left was a narrow strip of orange shooting up from the enormous rim of the ascending planet. The falling darkness, disintegrating pinnacles, and neverending CLICKINGcame to an eerie crescendo as Riddick suddenly grabbed Elijah's right hand again and broke into a flat-out sprint.

Just as Riddick and Elijah reached the hold, the narrow red circle of light flickered out like a candle, and the world plunged into everlasting night.

Riddick lifted his goggles and looked out into the darkness. Elijah turned to look as well. Their night vision gave the two a clearer image of the aliens rising from their collapsed nests. Riddick crudely traced their features: large predators with hammerheads and vicious talons. They launched themselves into the night sky, leathery wings spread, gliding, clicking, searching…

(Like bats…they click for echolocation…sounding out a world they haven't inhabited for twenty-two years.) Elijah sent to Riddick.

"What? What is it? What's out there?" Fry asked, watching their faces.

Riddick lowered the goggles back down over his eyes and looked at his mate. "Like I said," he paused and then turned in Fry's direction, "it ain't me you gotta worry about."

They all stepped inside and closed the hold's vault like doors. Locked inside, with only their hand lights, the survivors huddled together listening to the screams of the circling monsters.

"What if she's still out there?" Jack spoke up hoping for a miracle. "What if she's still alive?"

"Well I don't want to jump to conclusions here…but remember that boneyard? These just might be the fuckers that killed every other living thing on this planet. Chances of Shazza ever knocking on that door are about zero squared." Johns said to the gathered group.

"I saw the cut marks on the bones in the graveyard…wasn't a natural death." Fry spoke gently to Jack.

Suddenly, Imam moved to the door as if he'd heard something. Everyone except Johns, Riddick, and Elijah pressed their ears against the doors. They all heard the clicking sweep restlessly past, just outside the door.

"Why do they make that sound?" Jack asked quietly.

"It's how they see." Elijah answered. "With sound, reflecting back." Elijah used his Sight to look through the doors. He could see two just outside the Cargo hold. He looked back at Jack. "Echolocation."

More clicking cut across the darkness. The survivors whipped their lights around but saw nothing. Only a partially open container about halfway down the tunnel-like hold.

Riddick—who wasn't in position to see down the hall—looked at Elijah.

Elijah glanced down the hall again and shook his head at Riddick indicating that he didn't see anything.

They heard the sound again. ((How did one of them get in here?)) Fry wondered fearfully. "Breach in the hull." Fry suggested in a tight voice. "I dunno." She added quietly, eyes locked on the open door.

The clicking seemed to come closer. Everyone looked at Johns, and slowly he realized that they expected him to check it out. "I'd rather piss glass." He stated.

"Did you forget that you're the one with the big gage, Johns?" Riddick asked with a smirk.

Johns lifted his weapon. "Wanna shut your fat mouth?"

"Maybe it's just their beads again. Imam, are you still—" Fry started hopefully.

"No, no, no." Imam interrupted, covering his prayer beads with his hand. "I do not believe—"

"C'mon man," Johns growled, "you're drivin' everybody bugfuck with those things. Just get rid of the damn…"

Johns trailed off when the clicking sound came closer.

Riddick smiled at Johns. "Big beads."

Johns glared at Riddick and cocked his weapon. He edged toward the open container. Leading with his shotgun, he leaned around the door and fired blindly.  
Something screeched loudly and then went quiet. Johns eased his light around the door and saw two shredded, bat-winged lizards smeared across the floor like road kill.

Suddenly, something swept down at his head, swinging a curved talon like a scythe. The talon caught on his shotgun and it fired. In the flash that followed, Johns saw an image that burned into his mind. Curved teeth inside ravenous jaws, blank liquid eyes and strangely pulsing ears.

Johns jerked himself back behind the door and slammed it shut. As he  
backed away he noticed more cracks in their little shelter. "Very big beads," Johns declared, when he rejoined the others. "Need to find someplace more secure."

Paris began pulling at the main door trying to escape. "Well, I'm not staying in here another—"

Fry lunged and yanked him back before he could get the door open. "Christ! You don't know what's out there!"

"I know what's in HERE!" Paris yelled, struggling weakly to get away.

The clicking sounds erupted all around them. Imam opened a door connecting to the other containers. "This way." He made sure the group was all inside before shutting the door.

It was quiet for a moment; the only sound was from the survivors' trying to control their harsh breathing. Then scratching noises clawed trough the quiet.  
Johns pulled out a cutting torch and turned the knob. He adjusted the gasses to emit a wide arc of light that illuminated the metal door. And he saw what caused the scratching.

Sharp, talons were probing the door joints with a single-minded  
intensity. The group shrank away from the door.

Jack glanced up above her head when she heard a noise and screamed. There were talons stabbing down at them through a metal grate just above their heads.  
Imam shined his light at the grate in time to see saw-toothed lizard tails snaking away into the darkness.

The silence fell over them like a blanket. Johns lifted the torch, throwing light around the small area. The sudden cat-like hiss in the quiet startled them all. The survivors looked over in the direction it came from and saw Elijah crouched down low next to Riddick rubbing his eyes. And Riddick…he was scowling.

"Can you do something else with that?" He snarled. " 'Sides holdin' it in his fucking face? You just about blinded him." When Johns pulled the light back, Riddick lifted his goggles to rest on his forehead and then crouched down in front of his mate. He took Elijah's face in his hands and spoke softly, "Open them."

Elijah sighed and did as he was told. Riddick grimaced. The whites were now red and the beautiful green was now a soft milky color. "So much for 'just about'." Riddick muttered.

"What's that suppose to mean?" Johns growled.

Riddick stood and then helped Elijah up. "It means that he's now temporarily blind. He had his eyes adjusted to the dark and when you flashed his eyes with the torch it blinded him."

"And how long is 'temporarily'? We don't need someone stragglin' behind and slowin' us down. Maybe we should just—" Johns started.

Riddick interrupted him. "Maybe we should what?" He narrowed his eyes and  
stepped closer to Johns. "Even like this he's one of the most dangerous people you'll ever have the pleasure to meet. All his other senses have been heightened to make up for the loss of his eyes. So I'd watch what you say MERC."

Johns didn't head the warning in Riddick's eyes and took another verbal  
shot. "And I'd hardly put THAT in the people category."

Elijah hissed again and made a jump in John's direction. However, before he could get to him, Riddick reached out and grabbed him securely in a tight embrace. Not able to get away, Elijah unwrapped his long tail from his waist and snapped it hard against the side of Johns' head.

"Fuck!" Johns growled out in pain. He regained his balance and reached for his gun, only to find it gone. He looked up and straight into the clear eyes of Elijah. He also found his gun—it was in the grip of the Elvin-Cat's tail. Elijah had grabbed it from the floor after hitting Johns upside the head.

"Depending on how bright the light is deems how long I'll be blinded. It just so happens that this time I only lost the use of my eyes for a moment. Now I'd watch what you say unless YOU want to be the one who's straggling behind because you lost the use of one of your legs." Elijah hissed out.

Johns took a small step back away from the madly grinning Riddick and the angry Elijah.

"Knock it the fuck off! Johns cut us a hole through the fucking wall and get us the fuck out of here." Fry demanded.

Johns scowled at Fry slightly but did what she said. The moment the torch began slicing through the metal, a violent rattling noise filled the room.

Imam shined his light across the ceiling and saw that the grate above them was shaking furiously as if something was trying to smash through it and behind them the talons attacking the door were beginning to saw it apart.

Tuning that all out Johns burned an outline in the wall and then kicked it open.

Jack crawled through Johns' legs and found herself in the freezer room. The others followed behind her. The chaos was worse in here. The rattling, scratching and clicking seemed amplified. As the last of the group came through, the sounds on the metal ceiling seemed to follow them. Suddenly a pressure tube overhead exploded. Sharp talons jabbed furiously through the white cloud of gas filling the chamber. Then more talons cut through the soft tubes, sending fumes everywhere.

(Where being herded.) Riddick said to Elijah. But it was too late to do anything about it because Johns had already cut through the wall into an another chamber. When Riddick stepped inside he noticed that there was no ceiling grate, and it was large enough to enable them to move about comfortably.

As soon as Elijah made it through the hole, Hasan and Rashad started moving heavy cargo in front of the gaping opening.

(Something's wrong. I can feel it.) Riddick told Elijah. He turned slowly in a circle, searching the area.

(What is it?) Elijah asked.

(I'm not sure.) Riddick replied.

Johns added another crate against the opening and glared at Riddick. "What fuckin' union you belong to? How about a fuckin' hand?"

Riddick ignored him. He was looking at the pepper-shot pockmarks on the wall with growing suspicion. (Stay here.) He told Elijah and moved away from the group into the darkness.

Elijah took a step in Riddick's direction. (But…)

(Stay. I'll be back.)Riddick whispered the promise into Elijah's mind.

The Elvin-Cat sighed and did what his mate asked of him.

"Where'd Riddick go?" Jack asked suddenly. She was the first to notice his disappearance.

Riddick's POV

As I walked away from the group I felt something squish under my foot. It was soft and oily. I slipped off my goggles and put them in my pocket. It was a dead hatchling, it's body ripped open by a shotgun. Johns' shotgun.

(We've been pushed back to where we started.) I sent to Elijah.

(Fuck. I thought this area looked familiar.) Elijah sent back. (Should I tell them?)

I thought about it for a moment. (No. We'll let them figure it out.) I told him with a grin.

I heard him laugh quietly in my mind. (You're the boss.)

I was about to give a retort when I sensed something. Slowly I lifted my face to the darkness above my head. (Fuck.)

(What?) Elijah said. (What's wrong? What did you find?)

(Right above me, there's a hatchling sitting atop some cargo. It's eating something.)

The hatchling's fanged jaws were devouring something clutched in its talons.

(Can you tell what it's got?)

(Yeah. It's one of the creatures Johns shot. Vicious fuckers eat their own.) I sent to him.

Suddenly the creature paused. It cocked its head slightly and swept the area with inquisitive clicks. At the same time its ears were twitching incessantly. Then the it's ears went rigid.

(Riddick?) Elijah's worried voice sounded in my mind. (What's going on?)

(I think I might have a little problem) I said.

(Do you need help?)

I thought for a second. (No, just keep an eye out over there. I'll be fine.)

Third Person

Alarmed by the alien sounds going on around them, Fry looked out into the gloom and spotted Riddick. She started closer, and then stopped short, belly churning with terror.

Riddick was right next to one of the creatures. She could see his jaguar-like eyes gleaming in the darkness; he stood motionless as the creature's razor tipped wings enfolded him in an unholy embrace.

Hasan was intent on blocking the burned hole in the wall where they had come through. When he ran out of crates around him, he went off in search for more.  
He didn't bother to bring his hand light with him as he rounded a corner. That was his first mistake.

A steel-like grip squeezed Hasan's head in a vise.

"DON'T MOVE." Riddick whispered. "Extremely bad timing."

Hasan saw the creature perched in front of them. His body went limp with fear and if Riddick hadn't been holding him in a headlock, Hasan would have collapsed to the floor.

But Riddick wasn't concerned about the creature in front of them. It was the hatchling coming down for a visit from the ceiling that had him worried.

((This one wants to touch.)) Riddick thought to himself.

Riddick held his breath, hands tight around the pilgrim's head. He kept his eyes fixed on the creature in front of him, but Riddick was uncomfortably aware of the bony talon probing the top of his head. Then the creature facing him folded its wings tighter around the two men. The clicking became louder.

Riddick remained completely still as more blade sharp talons descended and began moving over his body like surgical instruments. One talon test sliced Riddick's shirt just barley grazing his skin.

Suddenly Riddick heard Fry's voice calling his name.

"Just keep burning."

Johns heard him and realized they were in the open container again. Back where they started. Frantically, he started burning through the next wall.

"Hasan?" Imam called out.

But the pilgrim was frozen with fear and couldn't answer. He almost passed out when a sharp talon stroked his chest. The talon lightly test-sliced Hasan's skin. This time drawing blood. As soon as the blood welled up, all clicking ceased.

Instinctively Hasan knew why the noise had stopped. Without thinking he bolted.

Second mistake. Game over.

He didn't get more than two steps before the creatures were on him.

Seeing the window of opportunity, Riddick jumped. But the moment he moved, another predator loomed up, blocking his path.

Riddick darted around a stack of cargo and sprinted for the escape hatch. But as the screeching alien flew after him Riddick knew he wouldn't make it.

A glaring explosion blinded him suddenly and he howled in pain. Riddick stumbled forward through the hatch. Fry's light shone past Riddick's shoulder, hitting the creature behind him. Screeching, the predator scrambled back.

Shots fired suddenly past her. Startled Fry dropped the light. As she scrambled after it, Johns pushed her aside and began shooting shadows.

"STOP!" Fry shouted.

"I killed it." Johns said breathlessly.

The group exchanged glances. Johns had snapped.

Suddenly a carcass slammed wetly to the floor causing everyone to jump back.

"Christ." Paris said in a hushed voice. "He did kill one."

Fry retrieved her light and beamed it on the carcass. Wherever the light touched, the flesh charred and bubbled, sending up fumes.

"Look!" Jack said excitedly

"Light hurts them." Fry said in slight awe. They had found their weapon.

A sudden chattering frenzy swept out of the darkness as the predators fought for what scraps remained of the boy.

"Is that…Hasan?" Imam asked…he had lost another one.

"We'll burn a candle for him later." Johns muttered, igniting his torch. "Let's go."

((Poor kid. He can't handle the horror.)) Fry thought, seeing Jack sitting over against the wall hugging his knees. ((Nobody can.)) She looked around at the gathered survivors and her eyes stopped on Riddick and Elijah—they looked completely in control. ((Well, nobody but them.)) She amended her thought.

The survivors had taken refuge in a small container, and sat huddled in the protective glow of a small lantern. To prevent the group from falling into apathy, Fry roused herself and called for a weapons check.

"I've got one cutting torch, one handlight and at least one more in the cabin."

"Spirits," Paris patted the case he'd just discovered in the room. "Anything over forty-five proof burns good."

"How many bottles do you have?" Fry asked.

"Not sure…ten perhaps." Paris sighed and pushed the case toward her.

"And Johns has the flares so maybe we have enough light." Fry said to herself.

That caught Johns' attention and he stopped cutting. "Enough for what?"

Fry turned and looked at him with steady blue eyes as if the answer was obvious.

And it was…Johns just didn't like it. "Oh, lady, you are out of your mind."

Fry ignored him, and turned to the others. "If we get four cells back to the skiff…we can lose this boneyard."

"Four? I thought we needed five cells?" Paris asked.

"We can do with four cells." Fry answered.

((Four power cells…might as well be a hundred)) Paris shook his head, "I hate to kill a wonderful theory with an ugly fact, but that Sand Cat won't run at night."

"We're gonna have to carry the cells…drag them, whatever it takes." Fry said.

The suggestion drew a troubled silence. The idea of hauling heavy cells through the raging death gauntlet outside had a suicidal ring.

"What? You mean…TONIGHT? With all those things out there?" Jack spoke up in a trembling voice.

"Hold up," Johns snapped. He turned to Fry. "How long can this 'tonight' last anyway? Few more minutes? Hours?"

They all glanced at Imam. He had done the preliminary calculations on the Orrery. As both a mathematician and engineer, Imam had grasped the principle from the machine. But he didn't have time to work out the details. "I had the impression from the model that the two planets were moving as one…that there will be a lasting darkness." He explained to the group.

"The sun's gotta come out sometime, and if these beasts really are scared of the light, we just sit here till dawn." Johns said trying to reason with everyone.

"I'm sure that's what someone else said Johns. Locked inside that coring room." Elijah spoke up."I agree with Fry. We gotta make a run for it."He looked around the room. The clicking had never stopped and the creatures were slowly getting closer. "We can't stay here. They are herding us around this place and we'll just keep coming back to this container until there's no where else to go."

It was a persuasive image. Fry's, Imam's and Paris' eyes all turned to Jack—who looked worried.

Johns jumped on their concern. "Look, we gotta think about everyone now—the kid especially. How scared is he gonna be out there?"

"Don't you dare use him like that Johns." Fry hissed.

"Like what?" Johns asked innocently.

"As a smokescreen that's what. Just deal with your own fears."

Johns face reddened with anger. "Hey, why don't you just shut your mouth for two seconds and let me come up with a plan that doesn't involve mass suicide, okay?"

Fry waited two long seconds and then she spoke. "Well? I'm waiting." She gave a short pause. "How much you weigh Johns?"

"What's it matter?"

" ?" She asked shortly.

Johns narrowed his eyes. "Seventy-nine kilos, why?"

"Because you're seventy-nine kilos of gutless white meat and THAT'S why you can't come up with a better plan."

Just as Johns swung his shotgun up Riddick stepped between them. Hands shaking with fury, Johns prodded the underside of Riddick's chin with the weapon and looked into his shined eyes. "Where you goin'?"

"Think about that reward, Johns." Riddick reminded him.

Johns' finger tightened on the trigger. "I'd be willing to take a cut in pay."

"How about a cut someplace else?" Elijah asked.

Johns looked to his left to see Elijah standing beside him. He felt something sharp poke his stomach and looked down. Elijah and Riddick both had a bone shiv angled against his belly. Both poised for the quick slice that would spread his intestines across the floor. ((The blast might knock Riddick back but then there's the blade Elijah's got.)) He thought to himself still not backing down.

"Please." Imam interrupted. "Please, this solves nothing."

"Ok, ok." Johns said softly to Riddick and Elijah. He lowered his shotgun and backed away from the two murderers. ((Soon the three of us are gonna dance.))

Fry knelt beside Jack."They're afraid of our light. That means we don't have to be so afraid of them."

Imam joined Fry and Jack."Are you sure you can find your way back to the skiff?"

"No." She paused. "But…THEY can."

They all turned. She was pointing at Riddick and Elijah.

Riddick POV

I stood next to Elijah at the end of the line and watched as Fry turned her cutter on for maximum flame. Cracking open the main door, she pushed the cutter outside and swept it around. When she was sure it was clear, she stepped  
through the crack and one by one the others followed.

I turned to look at Elijah when I heard him chuckle softly. (What?)

(They look like some sort of multilegged insect huddling together inside their little 'protective' halo of light.)

I looked back in the direction of the group and smirked. We were slowly crossing open ground with the group just ahead of us. We stayed in the back away from the light. All around us Elijah and I could see the creatures coming closer…they were staying just out of range though. The primal sounds of the aliens grew louder and more insistent, they were just waiting for one of us to fuck up.

I could tell Fry and the others were trying not to listen. When we neared the main cabin, Fry glanced back here. "Riddick."

Elijah and I walked to the front of the group and peered inside the cabin.

Lots of wreckage but no sign of life. I looked at Elijah and he shrugged.

"Looks clear." I muttered.

Impatiently, Johns shouldered himself in between me and my mate then went  
into the cabin. The moment his handlight beamed in, a shadow fluttered to life and flew over his head. Squealing in panic, the creature shot through the door into the darkness.

"FUCK ME!" Johns yelled.

"No thanks." Came Elijah's comment. I smirked.

"You said 'clear'!"

"I said it LOOKS clear." I corrected.

Johns looked back into the cabin and then back at me. "Well, how's it look now?"

I took a quick glance into the cabin and shrugged my shoulders. "Looks clear."

I could feel Johns' anger flaring and I grinned at Elijah. He rolled his eyes.

Fry stepped inside the cabin. "Just get the goddamn lights on."

Elijah found the switch and the main lights flickered on. The others scrambled aboard and went about their tasks with renewed energy.

Third Person

The cabin's illumination seemed to recharge the survivors' spirits. Everyone got to work finding things they needed to make the trip to the skiff. Riddick powered up the system lights and then yanked a cell from a battery bay.

The tricky part was loading up the sled outside. The moment Riddick stepped into the darkness he felt them closing around him. He heaved the cell onto the sled and then hurried back for another.

Imam made sure all the breathers carried fresh O2 canisters. He handed one to Riddick as he passed by him with another power cell.

Finally it was time to yank the last cell. Reluctantly Johns moved to the exit with the others. Johns stopped walking when his body shuddered suddenly. He reached into his pocket and found a red morphine shell. Just feeling it in his hand got rid of the sickness in the pit of his gut.

"Ready Johns?" Fry asked coming up behind him.

Johns turned to look at Fry. "They'll lead you over the first cliff they find." Johns said with certainty.

Fry was just about through with Johns' paranoid obsession with Riddick and Elijah. "We're just burnin' light here Johns."

"You give the cells and the ship to those two and they'll leave us all out here to die. The only one's who are safe from them are each other."

Fry shook her head in disgust and pushed past him to leave the cabin. Seconds later the lights faded out.

Still fuming, Johns stood in the dark cabin and loaded his shotgun. ((We're all going on a death march and Riddick is the Pied Piper.))

END CHAPTER


	5. Chapter 5

CHAPTER FIVE

Rashad grinned in delight when his little invention worked. He had taken a large burning wick and placed it in the center of Paris' misting umbrella. When the cloud of alcohol blew over the wick, it burst into flame, creating a fireball.

Imam chained himself into the first harness of the sled. Beside him Johns fumbled with the second harness. Riddick came around to help with the chains. When Riddick had Johns locked in place, he looked up into Johns' face through his goggles. He grinned at the Merc when he saw that Johns recognized the irony of the prisoner chaining his captor.

"Keep the light going," Fry announced to the group of crash survivors. "That's all we need to survive this."

Suddenly a multi-colored spray of holiday lights turned on like a Christmas tree. It was Paris. He had wrapped himself in vintage Christmas lights powered by a belt pack battery.

((Ingenious…but pathetic.)) Fry thought. She looked at him. "Good. You're gonna need all the light you can get back there."

"Back there?" Paris asked quietly.

"Yep. You're gonna be the tail-gunner." Fry answered with a tight smile. "Thanks for volunteering."

She looked to the front where Riddick and Elijah were talking quietly. Fry watched as Riddick reached out to adjust the hand light looped around Elijah's neck and then adjusted his own.

Their two lights shone like a beacon in the night. They looked up at Fry when she approached them.

"We'll be walkin' about ten paces ahead. I want the light on our backs not in our eyes." He said turning his back to her. "And check your cuts. These things know our blood now." He lifted his goggles up to rest on his forehead.

Fry glanced around and spotted Jack's face frozen with fright. She looked back at Riddick. "I was thinking we should make some kind of deal. Just in case, you know, this actually works."

Riddick turned back around to look at Fry. "Had it with deals. Nobody's gonna fuckin' turn a murderer loose. Let alone TWO. I fuckin' know better."

Fry's heart sped up at those words. ((If he doesn't expect for them to go free, then why are they helping us?))

"Not many people have faith in me Carolyn." Riddick lowered his voice slightly. "Not many people trust me either." He grinned. "That's somethin' right there."

"We can, can't we? Trust you, I mean?" Fry wondered.

Riddick's laugh caught everyone's attention. "Actually…that's what I've been asking myself." He nodded at Elijah and they both turned and started walking off into the darkness.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Riddick's POV

Walking like this, up front with Elijah, I feel almost free. Almost. My fine-tuned senses are acutely aware of the hungry creatures hovering nearby just waiting for us to make a mistake.

"Think we'll make it?" Elijah asked me as we guided the others hrough the night.

"You and me? Yeah. The others?" I shrugged slightly. "I don't plan on Johns makin' it out of here alive. One way or another, Johns ain't comin' with us."

Elijah grinned.

The group followed behind us like a lit up circus train. Imam and Johns pulled the sled with their hand lights sweeping the area around them, Rashad was on the left side of the sled carrying the first umbrella torch and over on the right side of the sled, Fry and Jack held a second torch—Paris pulled up the rear walking backwards and jabbing the third umbrella torch at every shadow he saw.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Third Person POV

Fry was reassured by the Sand Cat's tracks underfoot. Riddick and Elijah were retracing their steps back to the skiff. But she couldn't help but feel unnerved by the sounds all around them.

They had gone a few more kilometers when Fry noticed that the Sand Cat tracks had vanished. She looked back up to see that Riddick and Elijah were nowhere in sight.

"So you noticed too, huh?"

Fry turned to see Johns' knowing smirk. She scanned the darkness ahead for their two guides. "Riddick?" She called anxiously. "Elijah?"

The caravan ground to a halt. Everyone sucked hard on their breathers trying to get air into their lungs.

Suddenly Riddick and Elijah emerged from the darkness.

''Why did we stop following the tracks?" Fry asked.

Riddick looked past her at the creatures gathering behind the group just outside the light. "Saw something I didn't like."

"Such as?" Johns asked annoyed.

"Looked like a bunch of those bad boys chewing each others gonads off." Elijah smirked at him. "Thought we'd give it the swerve."

The clicking sounds grew closer ending the discussion.

"Lets just go." Fry said. She looked at Jack. "Just a detour."

Jack nodded in response.

Fry switched places with Paris when he asked and the group moved on.

Walking sideguard now, Paris actually started to relax somewhat. ((At least here there's only one exposed side.)) Unfortunately the clicking was never out of earshot.

Paris checked the alcohol bottle the umbrella wick was in. He was just about out. "I need another bottle."

Jack moved to fetch a fresh bottle from the sled. Without thinking, she strayed away from Paris' fireball. The second she stepped into the shadow a screech pierced the darkness like an arrow.

The sound jolted Imam's instincts and he ducked out of his harness then dove for Jack. As Imam pulled her down, bony talons slashed like scythes and shattered his light.

Johns grabbed the shotgun from Fry and blasted the shadows above Jack and Imam. Rashad and Fry both shined their light at Imam and Jack trying to make sure the creatures stayed back.

On the other side of the sled, Paris found himself isolated. Without warning his torch went out. He still had the Christmas lights, but the smothering gloom made him anxious. As he moved towards the sled for a refill, he tripped over his own wires throwing himself in darkness. The Christmas lights had gone out.

A heavy object hit his leg and he reached down to touch his calf. His hand came back covered in blood.

Suddenly the clicking around the group stopped.

"CHRIST!" Paris shrieked. "GET SOME LIGHT OVER HERE!"

Fry whipped her light towards Paris' voice but couldn't locate him.

"OVER HERE!" Paris yelled. He tried crawling toward the sled but he wasn't going to make it. All around him the aliens tore at him ripping the flesh from his body. The light swept the ground a few feet in front of him. His throat was slashed open as he tried to call out again.

Fry caught a glimpse of a shredded leg before it was snatched away by a swooping blur.

Riddick and Elijah were the only ones who could still see Paris.

Then their night vision caught something even more threatening. A flock of predators were circling Jack. The creatures hovered intently, as if the girl radiated a powerful sent.

Fry turned to see Riddick moving closer, his gleaming eyes were fixed on Jack.

"What is it? What do you see Riddick?"

"Hunger."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The rest of the crash survivors moved slowly across the thick darkness.

After what happened to Paris, Fry ditched the umbrella torch in favor of an industrial flare. At least she'd have more warning when it started to go out. She checked the remaining bottles on the sled. They were down to four.

Johns and Imam were back in the harness; Jack and Rashad on each side of the sled again, with Fry once more in the back.

Jack looked back at Fry. "Are we close?"

It was a good question. But only Riddick and Elijah knew the answer to that. They'd all been blindly following the two beams of light coming from Elijah and Riddick's backs.

"Can we pick up the pace?" Fry called out.

Johns bristled at her prodding. "Look, if you think you can do better—"

Imam's arm hit Johns in the chest to stop him.

"What?" Johns growled out in aggravation.

"Look." Imam replied pointing to the ground.

Johns looked down to see a sled track waffled in the dirt. They'd been walking in circles.

Johns lifted his shotgun and flicked the laser sight on. The red beam found its mark on Riddick about ten paces ahead. He and Elijah had stopped, as if they were waiting for the rest of the group.

Riddick sensed the laser on his back. He could always count on Johns to do the expected. He heard the others coming closer, but neither he nor Elijah turned around.

"Never could go straight, huh?" Johns growled, behind him.

"Not with a male lover, no." Elijah quipped turning around to face the others. He wasn't worried. He knew the two of them would make it off the planet. Riddick smiled slightly.

Johns scowled in his direction and opened his mouth to say something.

"Stay in the light. Everyone!" Imam interrupted.

Jack spoke up. "What's going on?" She asked Riddick.

"Listen." Elijah said.

"We've crossed our own tracks." Fry stated accusingly.

"Why have we circled? Are we lost?"Imam asked.

"Oh they ain't lost," Johns smirked knowingly. "Bet they'd LOVE to lose a few of us and still get those cells back to the—"

"LISTEN."Elijah said insistently.

A chittering crackled up ahead through the darkness.

"Canyon ahead." Riddick explained. "We circled to buy us some time…had to think."

"I think we must go now!" Imam said.

"Dunno 'bout that." Elijah said softly.

"That's death row up there…especially with the girl bleedin'." Riddick informed the group.

Johns gave Fry the once over. "What do you mean? She ain't cut."

Riddick turned finally. "Not her…" He paused and looked at Jack. "Her."

They all looked at the frightened Jack.

Johns stared at Jack for a second confused until he caught on. "You gotta be  
shittin' me." Johns muttered shaking his head.

Fry walked over to Jack when she figured it out. "Are you really bleeding?"

Jack nodded. "You mighta left me there alone back at the ship. That's how come I didn't say anything.

((It's true.)) Fry thought alarmed.

Imam and Johns exchanged worried glances.

"They been nose-open for her ever since we left," Riddick said quietly.

Imam put an arm around Jack—who he now knew to be a girl. "We just keep her close then. She'll be safe if we just put her between—"

Riddick shook his head. "There is no SAFE here."

As if to prove his statement, a howling chatter floated up from the canyon.

"We gotta go back. We can't make it." Fry said in a raspy voice.

Johns' expression turned into a twisted smirk. "Hey, this was YOU'RE idea and now you wanna go BACK?"

"I was wrong, I admit it." Fry said, running a hand through her bangs. "My fault ok? Now, let's just go back to the ship."

"I dunno Carolyn. Nice breeze, wide open spaces…I'm startin' to enjoy my self." Johns said.

"Are you fuckin' high again Johns?" Fry asked quietly. "Just listen to yourself."

"No, no, you were right Fry. What's to be afraid of? My life's meaningless anyway, so I say mush on."

(Looks like this is it.) Elijah said to Riddick. His mate's response was to fold his arms across his chest.

"The canyon's only a couple hundred meters ahead and then it's skiff city." Johns said, looking around at the others. He scowled at Fry. "So stuff a cork up that kid and get—"

Imam interrupted him, "she's the captain so we should just do what she says."

(THIS is it.) Riddick said looking at a grinning Elijah. His white haired mate seemed to be enjoying the downfall of their group.

"Do what SHE says? HER?" Johns looked at Imam in mock surprise. "When she was willing to sacrifice us all to save her own skin?"

Suddenly the breathers went silent. The only sounds were from the creatures and a small giggle coming from Elijah's direction.

Fry felt everyone's eyes on her.

"What's he talking about Fry?" Jack asked quietly.

Johns answered before Fry could open her mouth. "During the crash she…"

"This doesn't help us Johns." Fry's voice rose over his.

"…tried to blow the whole fuckin' passenger cabin," Johns finished staring Fry in the eyes. "Tried to kill us all…"

"Just shut up Johns." Fry said lamely.

"Tried to ghost us in our sleep." Johns said triumphantly.

"SHUT THE FUCK UP!" Fry exclaimed and attacked him. Johns just pushed her aside with one hand and raised his shotgun with the other. Fry fell limply to the ground, her energy gone.

"How much do you weigh now Carolyn?" Johns asked smirking.

Imam stepped between them. "You've made your point." He pushed Johns back a little.

Johns pulled out a flare and smacked the butt hard against Imam's chest. The monk stepped back quickly when the flare ignited.

"Verdict's in." Johns growled, lifting the flare. "The light moves forward."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Riddick POV

(That was fun.) Elijah's musical voice floated laughingly though my head.

I smirked slightly and glanced behind me. (This train of fools is shrinking fast.) I said to him. He laughed quietly.

Rashad had slipped into the harness next to Imam while Fry manned rear-point. There were no more side guards as Jack was made to walk in front of Imam and Rashad. Fry had hooked an umbrella torch on to the sled, but their circle of light had dimmed considerably.

I heard Johns coming up behind us and fall into step on my left. He lowered his flare when we shielded our eyes.

(That was considerate of him.) Elijah said annoyed.

I smirked.

(What the Hell does he want NOW?) Elijah asked.

"Ain't all of us gonna make it." Johns confided.

"Figure that all out by yourself?" Elijah sneered. I can tell he's still pissed about that 'people' comment.

"What do you want Johns?" I asked, getting to the point.

He was about to reply when a flurry of clicking shadows blew past us. Johns blasted the darkness, driving the creatures away. He turned back to us and stayed quiet for a moment.

It's no skin off my back though; the less I hear Johns' voice, the happier I am.

"Six of us left." Johns said suddenly.

Damn. Happiness down a notch.

"SEVEN."Elijah growled out.

Johns looked over in mock surprise. "Oh you're still here are you?"

"I've just about had it with you Johns. Just know that your time is coming." Elijah growled out through clenched teeth.

Johns lifted his shotgun, "Is that a threat a HALFBREED?"

Elijah hissed and bared his fangs.

"Stop." I said quietly. I looked at Elijah. (Just calm down, Cat. Don't let him stir you up.)

Elijah took a deep breath and stayed silent.

"What are you getting at Johns?" I asked irritated.

"If we could get through that canyon and lose just one, that'd be quite a fuckin' feat, huh?"

"Not if I'M the one." Elijah snapped out. He started walking quicker.

"What if you're one of six?" Johns' voice caught Elijah's attention and he slowed down to wait for us.

"I'm listening." Elijah said.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Third Person

From a distance, Fry watched the three men talk together in hushed tones. It was odd to see Johns, Riddick and Elijah walking together. Like equals. ((More like partners.)) Fry thought to herself.

Jack noticed too. "What are they doing up there?"

"Talking about the canyon, I suppose." Imam assured her. "How to get us through."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Riddick's POV

I listened to Johns' plan with rapt attention. Bait. He wants to use one of them as bait.

"It's no different than those battlefield doctors when they had to decide who lived and died. It's called 'triage'." Johns spoke softly.

"Kept calling it MURDER when we did it." I told him.

Johns grinned. "Either way, figure it's somethin' you can grab onto."

As we slowly marched toward the chattering canyon, Elijah and I calculated the options.

(Think like a scumbag and the answer's easy.) Elijah said to me.

(Yeah, when you think about it like that, it's not hard to see how Johns came up with that plan.) I agreed.

"Sacrifice." I muttered. "Hack up one body, leave it at the start of the canyon. Like a bucket of chum."

Johns gave a triumphant grin. "TRAVEL with it." He whispered proudly.

(He is fuckin' off his rocker.) Elijah said to me. He sounded kinda amazed.

I grinned.

Johns continued, "There's a cable on the sled. We can drag the body behind us."

(He sure has thought this through.) I told my mate.

(No kidding.) He answered back.

"Nice embellishment." I said to Johns.

"Just wanna keep these sharks off our scent." Johns explained. I could tell he was pleased with himself.

I glanced curiously back at the caravan. "So which one caught your eye?"

Johns hit me in the chest. "DON'T look. Christ, what's the matter with you?"

(SOMEone sounds paranoid.) Elijah said.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Third Person

Fry watched the three men walking at the front of the line. ((They're up to something.)) She thought to herself.

"Slow down a little bit, Imam." Fry spoke in a hushed voice.

"What?" The monk asked confused.

"Just slow down. Little more space between us and them." Fry explained, her eyes never leaving the point men.

"I would rather we all stay together."

Fry finally took her eyes off Riddick, Johns and Elijah to look at Imam. "Just do as I say. Please."

Imam finally understood what she couldn't say and slowed down the sled.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Riddick's POV

"Which is it Johns?" I asked again. I already knew, but I wanted to here him say it.

"What do you care?"

I shrugged my large shoulders. "I don't."

"Then lets not name the cow before it's slaughtered, ok?" Johns said.

"Nice analogy." Elijah quipped.

I smirked when Johns gave an aggravated grunt.

"I assume you still got a shiv?" Johns asked me.

I stopped walking and the other two did the same. "What…you expect ME to do it?"

Johns looked surprised by my reluctance. "What's one more to you? It's not like this is the one that's finally gonna put you in Hell. You BOTH passed that mark a long time ago, Riddick."

I shook my head admiringly. "You're a piece of work Johns. They should hang you in a museum."

Elijah and I started walking again.

"Or maybe just hang you." Elijah said. (Can we kill him now? He's getting on my nerves.)

(Not yet.) I replied.

Elijah huffed quietly.

Johns hurried to catch up with us. "Alright, alright. I'LL do the kid. You two just keep the other three off my back for a bit."

I cocked my head a little as if I'm reconsidering it.

(Now?) Came Elijah's impatient voice.

(Just wait.) I told him amused. I heard him growl beside me.

Johns pressed us, "Don't tell me you two are goin' soft now."

I stopped again and looked Johns in the eyes. Elijah came up behind me and turned off his hand light.

"I'm just wonderin' if we don't need a bigger piece of bait." I said.

"Oh, yeah? Like who?" Johns looked at me for a second before he understood. He took a step back. (Now.)

Elijah stepped into the darkness surrounding us when Johns' attention focused solely on me. Never take your eyes off ANY of your enemies.

Johns brought up his weapon and fired.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Third Person

The moment Fry heard the blast from Johns' gun, she knew it wasn't aimed at the creatures. "Bring the light!" she shouted. Fry could still see the flare Johns was holding but could only see one hand light.

Jack came running to her side. "What are they doing?"

Fry didn't answer, she just quickened her steps away from the fight.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Riddick was fast, but the blast from the gun still scorched his arm. Elijah jumped onto Johns' back and put him in a chokehold while Riddick grabbed the gun and jerked it skyward.

Above them, something shrieked when the gun fired again. Loud feeding sounds could be heard as the two men fought for the weapon.

Elijah grabbed the flare and tossed it to the ground when Johns burned his left arm. The flare created an arena of light. He fell off Johns' back when he was elbowed in the right temple.

Elijah crouched down next to the flare and watched as his mate and Johns fought. Every time they stepped into shadow, the aliens' talons took a swipe at the two men. The only sight to show that the ElvinCat was agitated was the twitching of his unwrapped tail.

Johns shot into the darkness to drive back the creatures, but they didn't go too far.

Elijah wrapped his tail back around his waist and moved closer to the two men.

Riddick wrestled the shotgun free but Johns knocked it out of his hands. The weapon fell to the ground and Riddick kicked it out of the way when Johns made to grab it. When Johns turned, he saw both Elijah and Riddick with a shiv.

Elijah stood slightly behind Riddick and wagged his shiv at Johns like a scolding finger. "I told you your time was coming Johns." Elijah grinned maliciously.

"There's only one rule Johns." Riddick spoke softly as he reached behind him to turn off his light. "Stay in the light." He and Elijah stepped into the darkness when Johns took his attention off them to pick up a bone club.

"Bring watcha got." Johns growled out into the darkness as he stood in the light of the dying flare. He looked around frantically when he didn't see the two convicts. Turning in circles he searched in the failing light.

Suddenly, Riddick and Elijah came out of the darkness behind Johns.

"Remember that moment?" Riddick whispered, voice hot against Johns ear as he and Elijah drove their shivs into his back. They jerked the blades along Johns' spine and then jumped back into the darkness. Johns fell to the ground gasping.

"Shoulda never taken the CHAINS off Johns. You were one brave fuck before. Oh man, you was COCK DIESEL with your big gauge…" Riddick said forcefully. He and Elijah started walking slowly at the edge of the circle of light. "The guns…the badge…the chains…Billy Bad-Ass…" He spoke just loud enough for Johns to hear him. "TOLD you to ghost me."

Johns dove for the shotgun and snatched it up. "Fuck you Riddick." He rasped, sweeping the weapon around. The red laser sight drilled into blackness. Riddick and Elijah had vanished. Then he heard a rapid clicking behind him. Johns quickly reached into his pocket and loaded a shell into the gun. He grabbed the dying flare and whirled around in time to see a huge black shape looming closer. He fired, blasting the predator back but the flare fell from his hand. The hairs on his neck stood on end and he spun around as a second creature rushed at him. Johns pulled the trigger and nothing happened.

Johns hurriedly ratcheted the weapon for another shot. The ejected shell fell beside the flare and in that instant Johns saw it was red. His heart skipped a beat when he realized he'd loaded a morphine shell in the dark. It was the last thought he had before the beast reared its head back and then shot forward biting off Johns' head.

The flare on the ground hissed out.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Riddick and Elijah watched in fascination as the creature devoured Johns' body in the darkness. Riddick looked down to see Elijah grinning.

"Come on. We got a group of survivors to catch up to." Riddick said.

Elijah tore his eyes away from Johns and smiled up at Riddick. "That was exciting." He whispered.

Riddick laughed loudly as they walked away.

END CHAPTER FIVE


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

Fry, Imam, Rashad, and Jack ran through the darkness as the shotgun blasts fired like lightning behind them. The group was trying to backtrack along the sled marks to get back to the crashed ship. Fry glanced back behind her to see if they were being followed and smashed into something solid.

"Back to the ship, huh?" Riddick asked. He and Elijah had been waiting for them.

"Move." Fry said breathlessly.

Riddick stayed where he was, blocking their path along the sled tracks. "So everybody huddles together till the lights go out? That the big plan?"

"Where's Johns?" Fry asked.

"Which half?" Elijah asked coming up to stand next to Riddick. Elijah had a huge grin on his face.

In the dull light, Riddick and Elijah saw Jack pale slightly.

They all looked back to where they'd last seen Johns. "Gonna loose everybody out here." Jack whispered loudly. Her eyes swelled with tears.

"He died fast." Riddick snapped. "And if we got any choice, that's the way we should all go." He started walking towards the canyon. As he passed by Jack he spoke softly. "Don't you cry for Johns…don't you dare."

Elijah turned on his light and then Riddick's when he caught up. Jack fell into step behind them. After a few seconds Fry, Imam, and Rashad followed.

With Riddick and Elijah leading and Imam and Rashad pulling the sled, they reached the entrance to the canyon quickly. Without his goggles on, Riddick could see the horror that was waiting for them. He stopped walking.

(Fuck. They're everywhere Riddick.) Elijah said.

(Just don't think about it.) Riddick replied looking over at him.

Elijah raised his eyebrows slightly. (What? Are you kidding me?) He asked incredulously.

Riddick smirked and looked out over the canyon again. His jaguar like eyes recognized the wing shapes perched everywhere.

The creatures were constantly moving, skull-blades clashing as they fought and fed with savage cruelty.

Riddick glanced at Elijah again and then moved forward. The rest of the survivors followed, weary faces reflecting their stark dread at what lay before them. Only Riddick and Elijah seemed unafraid.

"How many are there?" Fry asked.

Riddick winked at Elijah. "Only one or two."

They bought it.

"Jack? How many bottles left?"

Jack counted. "Three full ones, but it's just about time to refill."

It wasn't enough to make it back to the crash ship with, so the only other choice was to move forward. Fry looked at Riddick. It was his call.

"Only see one way." Elijah said.

"Lose the sled…it'll only slow us down. Keep the girl in the middle at all times." Riddick looked around. "Light up everything we got and run like your ass is on fire." He gestured to Rashad and Imam and they got to work unhooking themselves from the sled.

"And what about the cells?" Fry countered. "How are we gonna get them to the ship?"

"We'll take those." Elijah said.

Fry calculated the possibilities. None of them were good.

Riddick had eliminated his captor. The witnesses had to be next.

"We're just here to carry you're light aren't we?" Fry asked, voice filled with contempt.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

**Riddick's POV**

I smirked slightly when Fry asked that. She doesn't know the half of it. Elijah and I have the cells now, the others are just gonna slow us down. Shoulda let them keep the sled, but I'm not gonna change my mind now.

I walked away from Fry without answering and went over to where Elijah was standing. He was staring at something behind me so I turned around to look. He was watching Fry. She had dropped down to her knees to refill her torch flame. With just the pilot light burning, she never saw the large shadow coming up behind her.

"One down." Elijah said softly.

I grinned. The creature spread its taloned wings, preparing to strike.

Abruptly, the torch flared to life and the creature screeched and shank back away from Fry. She stood quickly and took a several stumbled steps back. The others looked up, startled at the noise.

"Well damn." Elijah said, crossing his arms over his chest, his mouth forming a small pout.

I grinned at my mate. I looked up in time to see Fry striding over toward us.

Folding my arms over my chest too, I waited till she got to us to speak. "Close call Carolyn."

"You both were just going to WATCH weren't you?" Fry growled quietly.

Why lie to the woman? "Yes. It would have been one less to slow us down." I said smirking slightly.

"And you're going to leave us here to die." Fry said looking from me to Elijah. Everyone's attention was on the three of us but they were too far to hear our conversation.

"It's crossed my mind." I said.

I tracked her left arm as it moved quickly taking out a knife from her belt. She brought it up and made to stab me. Elijah's tail shot out and wrapped itself tightly around her wrist. That's gonna leave a nice bruise.

Elijah took the knife away and threw it hard into the darkness. We heard a screech as the knife hit one of the creatures.

"Maybe you ought to rethink that decision." Elijah said releasing her arm. "Now, fuck off before I rethink the one I just made about letting you live."

Fry backed off rubbing her wrist and went to stand with the others.

"Little bitch." Elijah growled wrapping his tail back around his waist. He turned to face me. "She was going to stab you." He stated.

"I know."

"But you wouldn't have let her, right?" Elijah asked, his voice still laced with anger.

"We've come this far, Cat. You think I'd let someone stab me?" I smiled slightly. "Besides, I knew you'd stop her. And if you missed, I would have done it myself. I just wanted them to know that we're a team so they don't get any funny ideas. So, no worries, huh?"

Elijah took a breath and then smiled back at me. "No worries." He got serious suddenly. "But Riddick…she won't live the next time. She makes another go—for either of us—and I'm ghostin' her. Deal?" He stuck out his right hand.

I didn't even stop to think about it. What Elijah says goes. I just reached out my own right hand and took his. "Deal."

His eyes flashed happily. "Seal it." He whispered excitedly.

I chuckled softly and kissed him. It was slow and passionate and full of promises I intended to keep.

We were aware of the others watching us as we broke apart.

"Sealed." I said.

He grinned.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

We regrouped in the boneyard at the mouth of the canyon.

I used the loading straps to rig a body harness to drag two cells and Elijah did the same.

I was so absorbed in my task that I forgot where I was for a moment. When I stood up to admire my work, I was face-to-face with a predator. I jerked back quickly, pulling out a shiv as I went. When it didn't move I realized it was already dead. "Long gone." I mused out loud. I felt something silky slither around my left bicep…a tail. I looked over at Elijah.

"Your pulse skyrocketed so I came over to calm you down." He explained.

He's right. Felt like my heart was trying to come out of my chest. But, I can feel my heartbeat slowing down from the soothing emotions he's sending through the bond.

I returned my attention back to the dead alien and inspected the fossilized skull. The remnant was propped up by the other bones, making it seem like it was on display. Its hammer head was crowned by a large bone blade. Below it dangled a reptilian spine as if the blade was linked directly to the nervous system rather than to the brain. "Pure killer instinct." I said.

Elijah noticed something about the creature's bones. "Look." He reached out with his left hand and touched the skull.

I stared at the bones again. Twin echo-location sensors positioned behind the eye sockets on each side of the skull. I studied the echo sensors a moment longer before I understood.

"Blind spot." I whispered.

If I stood directly in front of the creature—nose to nose—I couldn't be 'seen' by its echo locators. "Nice theory, but I'd hate to test it."

"May I bless you?"

Elijah and I turned to see Imam looking at us.

The monk smiled. "I've blessed the others. It's quite painless."

"It's pointless." Elijah pointed out, unwrapping his tail from my arm and letting it drop bonelessly to the ground.

"Exactly." I agreed, folding my arms over my chest.

Imam looked at Elijah. "Do the your people not have a God that they believe in?"

Elijah tilted his head to the left. "We do. But the Valar has already blessed me with a mate. I don't need to be blessed again. Ever."

I know he didn't mean that last part. He wants us to have a kid or two. He'll be praying every night until he gets pregnant. He just doesn't want Imam to know that.

Imam turned his attention to me realizing Elijah was gonna be hopeless. He's not gonna get too far with me either.

"Well even if you don't believe in God, it doesn't mean He doesn't believe…"

Imam trailed off when he saw the look I was giving him. "You think someone could spend time in a slam with a horse bit in their mouth and not believe? You think he can start out in some liquor store trash bin with an umbilical cord around his neck and then wind up a Company Enforcer and not BELIEVE?" I asked harshly.

I jabbed my finger in Imam's chest. "I absolutely believe in God. And I ABSOLUTELY hate the fucker."

"He will be with us nonetheless, Riddick."

"Two of your boys are already dead. How much faith do you have left, Father?" I asked, slipping into my harness. Beside me, Elijah did the same. I paused looking off into the darkness. "It's time to go."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

They saddled up slowly, torches burning brightly as they sucked down O2 for the final run.

In front of Elijah and I, Imam and Fry took the head positions with Jack and Rashad behind them. The front four each held a bottle with a burning wick inside. While Elijah and I still had our handlights strapped to our backs. It was the last of the light our little parade had. And I could tell right now, that our light would last the longest.

I looked to my right at Elijah. "Ready?"

He nodded.

"As fast as you can!" I shouted to the others.

Fry looked back at us. "Are you sure you guys can keep—"

"MOVE!" I interrupted. They began running.

There was no going back now.

Immediately, predators began launching themselves down from the rim. First came the hatchlings streaming right into our faces and then veering aside at the last moment, repulsed by the light.

Next came the sounds of fighting and feeding that filled the darkness overhead. Suddenly, thick blue liquid spattered down on us as we ran through the hellish nightmare.

"Don't look up!" I shouted hoarsely.

More blue liquid showered down on us carrying the unmistakable stench of blood.

In front of us, I saw Fry glance up into the sky.

"Don't look! Keep going!" I yelled at her.

Fry dropped her head back down and ran faster. More blood dropped down from the creatures above followed by oozing chunks of intestines and other organs as the creatures killed each other.

I could barely make out Imam's voice saying a prayer.

Beside me I heard Elijah snort softly.

Unexpectedly, whole corpses were crashing down all around us. We had to veer around the bodies like we were on an obstacle course. Up ahead, I saw Rashad stumble slightly and drop his bottle after he cut his leg on one of the fallen creature's talons. I glanced down at the broken bottle when we passed it.

(That's just what we need now…someone else bleeding.) Elijah sent.

(Nothing we can do. Just keep an extra eye open.) I replied.

"Riddick!" Fry screamed.

"WHAT?" I looked ahead to see that they were slowing down. The canyon was narrowed into a choke point and the dead creatures were blocking the way.

"What is it?" Jack yelled, alerted by Fry's panic.

"It's a fucking staircase!" Elijah yelled. "GO OVER IT!"

Elijah and I reached them and started climbing first. I glanced back quickly to see Jack coming next followed by Fry. Down at the bottom I saw Imam and Rashad wrestling with the creature that had a good hold on Rashad's bleeding leg. I saw Fry go back down to help them. The creature let go when Fry burned it with her torch. Fry started climbing again while Imam bound Rashad's leg quickly with a piece of torn cloth from his robe.

I turned back around and kept going. We all made it over.

"Riddick, wait!" Jack called.

She called my name again, but I didn't stop.

Suddenly I heard a screech and then a crash as something hit the ground. Elijah and I stopped and turned back around when we heard Jack scream.

She was trapped under one of the skeletons with a creature banging its skull trying to break through the bone to get to her. She was trapped. I looked at Elijah.

We heard Fry screaming at the creature to get off. I looked back and saw her waving her torch at the alien. It wasn't working.

"It's your call Elijah." I said to him.

He looked at me and then at Jack. "Go."

I slipped out of my harness and started making my way towards Jack. The creature jumped at me with its clawed arms stretched out. I grabbed each arm and struggled with the beast. With its arms held captive in my hands the alien snapped it's large jaws at me.

(Elijah.) I said forcefully.

(Coming.)

Suddenly Elijah was crouched in between us with his shiv in hand. In one smooth move he sliced the creatures belly open spilling out its organs. I let go when the creature went limp in my grasp. It fell to the ground dead.

Breathing deep, I helped Elijah up and we turned to look at the others. They were gaping at us, pale faces reflecting their stunned disbelief. I shrugged and bent back down to twist the alien's head sharply, breaking its neck for good measure. "Did not know who it was fuckin' with."

I looked back up. Fry was holding a shaking Jack and Imam had a tight grip on Rashad's arm.

"Come on." Elijah said to me.

We got back in our harnesses and started moving again; the others following behind us. I looked back again to see that they were helping Rashad up off the ground where he had fallen. (We're better off losing that one.) I pointed out to Elijah. I turned back around when they started pulling him along.

(Oh, you have GOT to be kidding me.) Elijah said dryly.

"What?" I asked aloud. Then I felt it. A drop on my nose. I touched it and then looked at my finger. Not blood. Suddenly more drops came down. No, definitely not blood. "Rain." I said softly.

Elijah and I stopped walking. I looked at him with a grin on my face. I started laughing. I turned around to look at Imam. "So where the Hell's your God now?"

Jack and Fry moved against the side of the cliff and covered the flame with their hands to try and keep the rain from hitting it. They had the only fire left since Imam's had run out of alcohol only a moment before. Imam crouched at Rashad's feet and started wrapping another piece of torn cloth around Rashad's cut leg. It was worse than before. I turned back around and looked out ahead of us.

"Riddick? Are we close?" I heard Fry ask.

I didn't answer though. Something else had caught my attention. Elijah had blood seeping through the bottom of his white tank. "You're bleeding." I stated.

He looked sharply at me and then followed my gaze. "Fuck." Quickly, Elijah lifted his shirt to look. He had a nice long gash on the left side of his lower stomach.

He looked back up at me and shook his head."I didn't know." He moved his tail up from his waist and wrapped it tightly around his belly, covering the cut. "Maybe when you dropped the creature earlier it cut me."

I nodded slightly, but I was still worried. I needed to get Elijah off this rock, now more than ever.

With the cut securely covered, I looked back out in front of us.

"Just tell me the settlement is right there." Fry's desperate voice cut through my thoughts.

Again, I ignored her. I need to get Elijah safely into the skiff. I can't do that if the others are gonna slow us down. I made a decision. I had to get rid of the others.

"We can't make it." I told Fry.

Suddenly I heard Imam cry out.

Elijah and I turned quickly around to look. Rashad was being pulled up along the cliff by a creature. Well, that's one taken care of.

"No!" Imam yelled pounding his hands against the rock.

Fry wrapped her right arm around Jack's shoulders and they sagged against the wall.

I looked around and then let go of the cells. Walking over to the group I prodded them up. I gripped Jack's hand and pulled her to a cave like crevice in the canyon wall. "Here!" I shouted waving at Imam and Fry. "Hide here!"

Imam slowly came to his senses and half-carried Fry to the cave as the clicking hordes circled overhead.

"Inside!" I hissed, pushing Imam in after Fry. As they crawled into the narrow space, the second torch died out. They only had one torch left.

When the three of them were inside I pushed a nearby rock into the hole, blocking them in. Now that there's no one slowing us down, I can get Elijah safely to the skiff and we can get out of here.

End chapter


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Riddick POV

The mud made it difficult to walk through. Especially while pulling something heavy. Every few feet we slid on the rain-soaked ground, the heavy cells pulling us down like an anchor. Finally we made it to the crest of the hill. I expected another obstacle to stand between us and safety, but as I peered through the hard rain I saw nothing that would get in our way.

The settlement was deserted. There were no creatures around; nothing to stop us from leaving. All we needed to do was get down the hill.

It didn't take long to reach the skiff. Behind us predators came out of nowhere and followed every step of the way, hovering just beyond the faint circle of light as Elijah and I boarded the skiff.

We got the cells in place and turned the skiff on and shut the hatch. As the skiff came to life the creatures that had been hammering on the outside of the vessel moved away.

"Free at last." Elijah said.

I grinned and closed the skiff door.

We didn't speak as we ran a pre-flight integrity check. But as my fingers ran over the instruments, my mind kept going back to the people we'd left in the canyon.

"Don't be sucked in Riddick. Good intentions kill faster than bullets." Elijah said looking at me.

I nodded. He was right of course. "I just thought you wanted to take Jack with us."

He sighed. "I did…still do." Elijah shook his head. "But we're here now and it's not like we could keep her…I just wanted to get her off this rock and then send her on her way. She wouldn't want that of course, but it's best for her not to be around us."

"I can go back if you want."

Elijah was silent for a moment. "No." I could tell that decision was hard to make.

I nodded and then very deliberately, smashed our hand lights against the hull. "Let's get out of here then."

I fiddled with the flight controls before rolling the skiff to the runway. For some reason I took my time. I kept peering out into the rain-soaked darkness…as if expecting someone. I sat in the flight chair and checked the computer for the fourth time. I could feel Elijah's eyes on me as I had an internal battle with myself.

((Every time you get noble, you get royally fucked.)) I reminded myself. I looked over at Elijah. "What the fuck is wrong with me?"

"You have a heart Riddick. Don't beat yourself up over this." Elijah reasoned. "If you want to go back…"

"No." I cut him off softly. "Let's get out of here." After coming to this decision I strapped my self in and turned around to face the windshield. My eyes widened when I saw Fry standing in front of the skiff holding up a blue glowing bottle.

"Well, well." Elijah said. We unstrapped and went to open the hatch door.

We waited at the opening until Fry came around to the back.

She stood there, her chest heaving as she struggled to get her breathing under control. I could tell it was hard for her since we ditched the breathers a while back when they ran out of O2. Elijah and I were ok though since we had already gotten use to the sparse air by then.

"Strong survival instinct. I admire that in a woman." I said grinning.

"You're…not…leaving." She said, her breath slowing down. "Not until…we go back for…the others."

I snorted.

"I promised them we'd…go back with more light." She called, moving to stand at the bottom of the ramp. "And that's exactly what we are going to do!"

I looked at her for a moment before I spoke. "Think you've mistaken me for somebody that gives a fuck." I said harshly. She doesn't need to know that I was just thinking about going back to get them.

"What, are you afraid?" Fry jeered. She stood there swaying in the rain.

"I think you are confusing him with Johns now." Elijah corrected with a sly smile. "Fear was HIS monkey."

Fry sneered at Elijah and then turned back to me. "I trusted the both of you!" Fry yelled. "Goddamn, I trusted that some part of you wanted to rejoin the human race."

My face remained impassive. "Truthfully, Fry?" I said quietly. "I don't think we'd know how."

Fry's hands dropped to her sides. "Then wait for me! I'll go back myself. Just give me more light for them."

"Ok." I said shrugging and tossed her my broken handlight.

She caught it and then stared at it in her hand. Fry tossed it aside when she saw that it was broken. "Just come with me." She pleaded.

"I've got a better idea Fry. Come with ME." Elijah said. I looked at him. (What are you doing?)

(Just seeing how much will she's got left in her.) He replied.

I rolled my eyes.

"You're fuckin' with me, I know you are." Fry said softly.

"You know I am? You don't know anything about me. We will leave you here." Elijah said.

"I—I can't." Fry said falling to her knees.

"Sure you can. Come on…give me your hand." I said walking down the ramp to her. I reached out my hand. She looked up at me when it came into her sight.

"No one's gonna blame you Fry." Elijah said soothingly.

Slowly Fry reached out and I pulled her to her feet. She took small steps forward towards where Elijah was standing in the entrance.

Suddenly she stopped and swayed slightly. I thought she was gonna fall but she kept her balance. I turned around to stare out into the darkness when I heard movement. The creatures were starting to close in.

"Just a few more steps Fry. You can do it." I heard Elijah say softly.

I turned back around sharply when Fry screamed. She slammed into my body and knocked me down. We landed at the end of the ramp with her on top. She pulled a knife out of her boot and held it against my throat.

"Now you…you listen to me, **I**,am the captain…and I will NOT give up on them!" She shouted, gasping for breath. "I am not gonna leave any of them behind on this rock with those things—even if it means killing you and Elijah and going back by myself! Now you WILL help me or I WILL slit both yours and Elijah's—"

She didn't get to finish as Elijah's body connected with hers and knocked her off me. They landed a few feet away with Elijah straddling her waist and Fry's knife in hand.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

**Elijah's POV**

I don't even know why I'm doing this to her. I just want to leave this place. And if it means that she comes with us…then whatever.

I watched as Riddick walked down the ramp to help her up. She starts walking up slowly, step by step and then she stops and sways slightly.

I look out over their heads when I hear the creatures making noises. I can see them slowly closing in on us. We need to hurry this along and get out of here. "Just a few more steps Fry. You can do it." I said softly.

Suddenly Fry cried out and I watched her turn and tackle Riddick to the ground. I hissed and crouched down at the top of the ramp. Damn bitch. I KNEW I shoulda killed her earlier. I listened as Fry goes off on some rant about being the captain until I can't take it anymore. My blood is singing to kill the one who dared to hold a knife to my mate's throat and threaten to slit his throat. With a strong push I sailed off the skiff and rammed into her body.

We rolled a few feet away from Riddick. Before we stopped moving, I grabbed the knife from her hand. I grunted when she pulled out another and sliced my arm. I knocked it out of her hand and then held the first one at her throat as I straddled her waist.

"GET off!" She said forcefully, as if I would listen.

"FUCK YOU!" I yelled. When she struggled I nicked her neck. "I want you to listen good Fry, because this is the last thing you will most likely ever hear." I growled out. When her body stilled I continued. "After I so graciously let you live earlier I made a deal with Riddick…we agreed that if you did ANYTHING like what just happened that I'd kill you. And I am absolutely going to enjoy it." I grinned maliciously. "There's just one thing I want to know before I slit your throat."

She stared at me and then looked over at Riddick with pleading eyes.

I followed her gaze to see Riddick crouched down in the mud. He stood slowly and shrugged. "Don't look at ME Carolyn. You think I'm gonna help someone who just held a knife to my throat AND threaten to kill my mate? You did this to yourself."

I looked down at her stunned face and grinned up at Riddick.

"A deal's a deal Carolyn." Riddick said to her crossing his arms over his muscled chest.

I turned back to her. "Look at me Carolyn." I said using her name for the first time. She turned her blue eyes on me. "Now that you've gotten to know Jack and Imam…I was just wondering how you felt, now that you know that you're gonna die for them."

"Please…don't kill me." She whispered.

I shook my head in mock sadness. "Still a spineless cowered." I bent down close. "Say hello to Johns for me."

Her eyes widened and she opened her mouth. In one smooth move I slit her throat spraying blood on my shirt. I watched the light in her eyes die out and blood bubble out of her mouth. Riddick came over behind me and lifted me up off Fry's motionless body. I watched as he lifted one arm and one leg and then tossed Fry's body as far as he could out into the darkness.

"Feel better now?" He asked amused.

I looked up at him. "Yes." I stated simply. "I've also had a change heart."

"Have you now?" He asked grinning.

"Yes. We're going back for the others."

Riddick stared at me for a moment. "Ok." He said nodding. Riddick bent down to pick up the glowing blue bottle that Fry had brought.

I peered inside. "Are those what I think they are?" I asked.

He grinned. "Seems so."

"Right. Let's not waste more time." I said and started to leave.

"Hold it." Riddick said and grabbed my arm.

"What?" I asked.

Riddick looked pointedly down at my left arm. "You're bleeding in two places now. You're going to stay here, get cleaned up, put some stuff on that burn and wait for me. If you come with me, you'll just attract them. I don't want to take any chances."

I sighed. I know he's right, but I don't have to like it. "Fine."

"That's my boy." Riddick said kissing my temple. I flinched slightly when he accidentally put pressure on the bruise Johns had given me earlier after burning my arm with the flare.

He guided me back to the skiff. "Go in there and shut the hatch. I won't be long."

I and went inside and looked down the ramp at my mate.

"Close it." Riddick said.

I nodded and pushed the button.

XXXXXXXXXX

**Riddick's POV**

I didn't need the bottle of glowworms to see, but I brought it anyway. Maybe one of them could use it. I marched back towards the canyon and flinched slightly every time a predator zoomed past at the edge of the meager light the bottle let out.

One last pass and I'm clean. I told myself as I moved steadily through the rain. I paused as my eyes picked up a flurried knot of predators. They were down at the bottom of the hill drinking runoff from the rain that had formed a huge pool.

I detoured around them and scanned the canyon wall for familiar landmarks. All I could see was flat black rock.


	8. Chapter 8

To my reviewer Melissa, I'm sorry you are turned off by the mpreg rating and I hope it doesn't keep you from finishing my story. The pregnancy is in the epilogue and it doesn't go in to graphic detail. I hope you continue to read and enjoy the story.

I also want to thank those of you that have stuck with me after all this time. The story is finished and I'm just loading up the final chapters now. Please enjoy!

Chapter 8

Riddick POV

It took me a while but I found the crevice where I had put the others. I moved the rock out of the way and looked inside.

The first thing I saw was Jack's wide eyes.

"I knew you'd come back." She stated smiling.

I grinned slightly and then looked at Imam. "Anyone not ready for this?" I paused for a moment when I heard something behind me. I looked around, but found nothing. "Come on." I handed the bottle of glowworms to Jack since Imam already had a bottle full.

I moved out of the way so Jack and Imam could get out of the small cave. I turned and started walking back. They followed behind me as quickly as they could in the sliding mud.

We stopped when four creatures blocked our path. They seemed to fighting and there wasn't enough room to go around them. We were gonna have to wait until they made a path wide enough to get through.

We moved back against the canyon wall and crouched down low. I grabbed a hold of Jack's left hand and when Imam took a hold of Jack's right, I pulled them through the gap in between the aliens. They jumped out of the way of the light the glowworms provided and we moved quickly through and struggled up the hill.

I pushed Jack and Imam a head of me. "Bang on the hatch. Go! You know the way!" I yelled at them. Imam nodded and took Jack's hand again. I turned back around when they were out of sight. The four creatures landed in front of me and started moving in.

I scrambled backwards up the muddy hill, my feet slipping every step of the way. When I reached the top, I turned my back and ran as fast as I could towards the settlement. When I lost the creatures in between some buildings I breathed a sigh of relief.

(Where the fuck ARE you? Imam and Jack are here and they said you told them to go on ahead!)

(I'm in the settlement Elijah. Almost to the skiff. I had to distract the ones that followed us.)

(Just be careful, Riddick.)

(You know me) I replied.

(That's exactly what I mean!)

I grinned slightly as I turned the corner. Suddenly a creature landed in front of me and I jumped. (Looks like it's time to put that theory to the test.)

(Riddick?) Elijah asked uncertain.

(Hang on.) I ran up and stood directly in front of the alien. When it moved its head to the side I followed. Slowly the creature stepped back and turned away. I relaxed and waited for it to get out of sight.

Suddenly, I felt a tingling sensation run up my spine. Clicking noises sounded behind me. The creature in front of me turned back around suddenly and I knew it saw me. It lunged quickly at me and I tried to dodge it without getting hurt, but I wasn't quick enough to escape the swinging talons. I got a cut on the back of my left shoulder. When the second creature jumped on the first one I took my chance and made a run for it. I could see the skiff up ahead of me and ran faster.

Behind me I heard one of the predators following. Thinking fast, I searched for Fry's body. Spotting it a few feet away I ran towards it and stopped. I picked up the body and waited for the creature to get closer. Then as hard as I could, I threw Fry at it and when it was distracted by the scent of blood I ran the rest of the way to the skiff.

Elijah was there waiting for me when I boarded the ship and he pulled me into a bone crushing hug.

He let go and scanned my body. Seeing blood he looked up sharply.

"Most of it's Fry's, but I got a cut on the back of my shoulder." I said pushing the button to close the hatch.

"Fry?" Jack asked jumping up from one of the side seats. "That's right. She came back for you. Where is she?"

I looked at Elijah and then back at Jack. "One of the creatures got her." It was partly the truth; only she was dead when they got to her.

Jack's body slumped down and Imam caught her before she fell.

"Let's get out of here." I said.

Elijah nodded and moved to sit in the co-pilot's seat. I sat down and then started it up. I pushed the throttle up and then paused. Pushing it back down again, I turned the skiff back off.

"Riddick?" Jack asked. "What's wrong?"

I looked over at Elijah. He was staring at me questioningly. Elijah lifted a white eyebrow.

I looked back out the window to see the creatures closing in. Suddenly one slammed into the glass and I heard Jack gasp. They started climbing on the skiff.

"Can we just get the Hell out of here now?" Jack whispered loudly.

"We can't leave." I stated.

I grinned when another creature hit the glass. "Without saying goodnight." I started the thrusters back up and we rammed through the creatures in our path.

The fabric wings ignited when the skiff reached escape velocity. For a long moment it hung there until the wings disintegrated and disappeared into space.

"With so much prayer to make up for, I don't know where to start." Imam's voice cut through the silence. I looked behind me to see him at the back of the skiff rolling out one of the prayer mats that had been stowed on board with the rest of the supplies.

"I know where I'D start." Jack said softly joining him on he floor. She pulled out a second mat and knelt down next to Imam.

I turned my attention back to the front when Elijah spoke. "Thank you."

I raised a brow questioningly. "For what?"

(For going back.) He answered.

(I don't think we would have left that planet without them.)

Elijah smiled at me. (You think we would have gone back even if Fry hadn't come to get us?)

"Yeah. I don't think we could've left them there." I said softly.

He nodded his head slightly and then reached over to take my right hand. "I think you're right."

I smiled back at him and then kissed his knuckles.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

**Third Person**

After a few hours, distant stars came into sight. Riddick remained hunched over the control board looking through nav-charts to try and figure out where they were.

"Just don't worry about it Riddick. We'll figure it out later." Elijah spoke up.

Riddick sighed and leaned back in his seat. He looked over at Elijah's tired face. "Why don't you get some sleep?"

"I can't sleep yet." Elijah said.

Riddick was about to reply when blood seeping through the bandage on Elijah's arm caught his attention.

"We need to clean those out." Riddick stated, getting up from his seat and moving towards the back of the skiff where all the supplies were.

He grabbed the med kit and brought it up front. Riddick knelt in between the two pilot chairs and turned Elijah's seat around so it faced him.

"First things first." Riddick said. "Unwrap your tail and take off your tank top."

Elijah nodded. When he was done he dropped the dirty white tank on the floor. "Now what Doc?"

Riddick rolled his eyes and unwound the piece of cloth Elijah had tied around his left arm. The cut Fry made went from the top of Elijah's shoulder down to his elbow. He grimaced. It needed to be stitched, but they only had basic supplies here. He looked down at the cut on his stomach. It wasn't as bad as Riddick thought it had been. It wasn't bleeding anymore so it just needed to be cleaned out and bandaged.

Riddick looked inside the kit for the supplies he needed.

The two sat in silence while Riddick worked. With Imam and Jack asleep on the prayer mats the only sounds in the skiff where deep breathing.

After twenty minuets Riddick was finished. He looked up at Elijah. "Feel ok?"

"Yeah." Elijah whispered.

They stared at each other for a moment longer until Riddick sat up on his knees and placed his arms on the sides of the chair. They sat there face to face until Elijah laughed softly and leaned forward to kiss him.

When they pulled away Elijah leaned his forehead against Riddick's. (I love you.)

(I love you, too.) Riddick replied sitting back in the pilot seat.

In the back of the skiff Jack stirred and slowly sat up. She stood and stretched. Jack bit her lip and then walked quietly up to the front.

"So I guess it's ok for us to talk now." She said hopefully.

Elijah grinned when he remembered that Jack had wanted to talk to them the day before but Johns and the others had said 'no'.

"So, you can find us a shipping lane, right?" Jack asked. "And then someone picks us up so we can go wherever we want…someplace bright, with SHOWERS. Someplace like where I came from, I guess."

When Riddick and Elijah didn't respond she went on. "You see, I was just running away when this all started."

Riddick glanced at Elijah. He knew what she was getting at. Jack was alone and wanted to come with them.

"Only one problem with that plan." Riddick finally spoke his eyes still fixed on Elijah.

"What?" Jack asked.

Riddick plotted a course and turned his chair so he was facing Jack. "Lotta questions with whoever we run into. Might even be a merc ship." He trailed off.

Jack thought about it. "So, what do we tell them about the two of you?"

"Tell 'em we're dead." Riddick looked at Elijah. "We died somewhere on that planet.

Jack grinned and went back to the prayer mat for more sleep.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

**Third Person**

After six hours everyone on board the skiff was well rested and wide-awake.

"How much longer do you think we'll be stuck in here?" Imam asked.

"Not for much longer." Riddick replied sitting up in his seat suddenly and pressing buttons.

"How do you know that?" Jack wondered.

"Because there's a transporter coming our way." Elijah answered sending out a hail.

They sighed in relief when a woman's voice spoke over the line.

"Thank God." Jack sighed in relief.

Riddick spoke to the Captain for a few minuets and grinned when the Captain agreed to pick them up.

It took ten minuets for the transporter to reach them and another ten minuets to finish docking. It turned out that the transporter was actually a luxury ship heading towards the New Mecca region. Hellion Prime to be exact.

Riddick put his goggles on before the four of them stepped out onto the main deck after the skiff was docked in the loading bay.

The Captain stepped forward. She was a short, older woman with shoulder length graying hair and kind blue eyes. "I'm Captain Sara Luther. First thing I need to know is if any of you need medical attention?" She asked looking pointedly at Elijah's arm.

"My arm needs stitches." Elijah said.

The captain nodded. "Follow me then." She turned around and led them down a series of hallways until they came to the med bay.

"You can go on inside, there's someone in there that can have a look at all of you." The captain placed a hand on Riddick's arm when he moved to follow the others inside.

Elijah turned around and looked at him with a raised brow. (Want me to wait?)

(No, go on and get looked at.) Riddick replied.

Elijah nodded and followed the others. Once the door shut behind him, Riddick turned to look at the captain.

"Look, I don't want any trouble on my ship. I don't want any details of where you've been and I'm not going to ask any questions. I agreed to pick all of you up and give you a ride to New Mecca, but that's all. I would appreciate it if everyone would just stay confined to their rooms until we get there. Are we in agreement? Or will I have to have security escort you all to a more confined space?" The captain looked behind Riddick when she asked that last question.

Riddick glanced behind him to see at least ten guards. He turned back to the captain. "We'll have no problems on our end. All we want is a place to rest, some food and a hot shower. We won't cause you any trouble."

The captain nodded. "Good. Then go on inside and get looked at. I take you all to get some food and then take you to your rooms."

Riddick turned and entered the med bay.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

After eating they were shown to two rooms.

"It's all we have left. I hope you don't mind doubling up. Each room has two queen size beds, a full bath, entertainment centers, and a mini kitchen."

"Thank you Captain. We are very grateful for your help." Imam said.

"Think nothing of it." The Captain said waving a hand. She looked at her watch before speaking again. "It's just past 9:30. In the morning I'll send someone to get you for breakfast. They'll escort you to a private room where you can eat your fill. Do you have any questions?"

"You got a place we can wash our clothes?" Jack spoke up.

"Of course young man. There's a cleaner in your rooms. These are the deluxe suites. Not everyone can afford them so we don't usually fill up. The rooms have everything you'll need. Goodnight gentlemen."

The four turned to face each other in silence.

Elijah rolled his eyes and wrapped his arms around Riddick's neck.

"Shower." He put all his weight on Riddick and knocked them back into the door.

Riddick laughed. "We'll see you two in the morning."

They went inside the room and looked around. It was definitely the deluxe suite. Two queen beds with a nightstand in between, a balcony looking out over the interior of the ship—they were on the top floor—large TV, small kitchen, and large bathroom with both shower and a jacuzzi tub.

Riddick spotted the small cleaner over in the corner of the room. After closing the shades, they undressed and stuck their clothes inside. With the press of a button the cleaner started up.

Riddick looked over to see Elijah leaning against the bathroom door. "Come and shower with me."

Riddick nodded. "Lights to twenty percent." Riddick took off his goggles and placed them on the counter top and joined Elijah in the stall.

After a quick hot shower they turned on the Jacuzzi tub and got in. Riddick sat in the large round tub with his big muscled arms resting on top of the sides. Elijah moved to straddle Riddick's lap.

Elijah stared into Riddick's silver eyes for a long time. "I missed you."

Riddick brought his hands down off the sides of the tub and placed them on Elijah's thighs.

"We've never been apart for so long." Riddick answered.

"Two months." Elijah paused and rubbed the left side of Riddick's neck where he had bit him a couple days before. "The marks are already starting to fade. Our bond is weakening again."

Riddick nodded and the two stared for a moment longer.

Elijah laughed suddenly and leaned down for a quick kiss. "I think we should fix that."

Riddick grinned back and pulled Elijah's body as close as he could. "I think that's a good idea." He whispered.

They made love for hours that night. Putting all the passion and desire they possessed into it. Yes, two months was a very long time indeed.

With the pressing need to bond sated, they lay asleep curled together, their dreams melding into one as their bond strengthened and became permanent again. They could feel each other wholly once more. The bite marks on their necks healing and scarring over as their bond was now fully completed. In the morning the redness around the marks would vanish and you would see two crescent shaped marks where the neck meets the shoulder.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

The four survivors stayed on board the ship for two weeks until the Captain dropped them off on Hellion Prime.

They were standing at one of the ports trying to convince Jack that she needed to stay there with Imam.

"But why can't I just—" She started.

"No. You need to stay here Jack. It's not safe to be with us. We're gonna be on the run for a few years until they think we're officially dead." Elijah explained.

Jack huffed and walked over to sit in a chair.

"Where do you think you'll go?" Imam asked.

"We're gonna go and stay with his parents for a while. They're on an ice planet in the UV System. It's nice and cold there. Don't know how long we'll stay for though." Riddick said.

The call for their ship came over the speakers. "We have to go. Tell Jack we're sorry." Elijah said looking over at the sullen girl. He looked back to Imam. "Please, try and explain things to her."

Imam nodded. "I'll do all I can."

Riddick and Elijah walked through the gate and onto the ship to find their cabin. It was one of the smallest the ship had. Only big enough for a bed and bathroom with a small shower, toilet and sink. Didn't even have a window to look out of.

"Well, this looks like home for a while." Elijah stated.

"That's what it looks like." Riddick agreed.

Elijah turned to face his mate. "Wanna see how sound proof these walls are?"

Riddick laughed and dimmed the lights before taking off his goggles.

"That sounds like a plan to me."

End of chapter

Alright guys, the next chapter is the epilogue. Then it's on the the sequel!


	10. Chapter 10

**EPILOGUE**

**Third Person**

Almost six months to the day had passed since they escaped the deadly planet and coming up on four months since they showed up on Elijah's parent's doorstep asking to stay for a while. Elijah's parents had, of course, agreed.

The planet was a frozen one, covered with snow. The lakes were enclosed in thick ice and the trees were long dead. Whoever decided to live there had to rely on the neighboring planet to supply them with food and water every six months. The planets' animals, however, had long since adapted to the harsh conditions and were able to survive on their own.

Depending on your race, the freezing winds and bone chilling climate didn't bother most of the people who lived there. For example, the Elves weren't affected by the weather at all and to the Neko race the air was only slightly chilly. However to those that were of the human race…well, if they stayed there, they bundled up completely while outside.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The door to a large cottage slammed open and then closed quickly.

"FUCK!" A large man exclaimed while resting back against the door.

The rooms' inhabitants looked up at the tired man in amusement.

"Something wrong Riddick?" One of them asked.

Riddick sighed and then glanced over at the three people in the large front room. Instead of answering, he took off his two thick coats, gloves, his hat and his boots and put them in the hall closet. When he was finished, he walked over to where his mate was sitting in front of the fire.

Riddick sat down behind Elijah on the floor and settled his hands on Elijah's large belly. "Remind me why we are here again?"

Elijah laughed and sat back against Riddick's muscled chest. "Oh come on, Riddick. It's not that bad out there."

Riddick snorted.

"He's right you know. It's not all that cold out there."

Riddick rolled his eyes at the large Neko lying on the couch. "You and I are not made of the same skin, Kael."

Kael laughed loudly showing two sharp canines on the top and two on the bottom along with normal looking teeth. Kael, Elijah's father, was full Neko; he had a long black furry tail, two pointed furry black ears, short messy black hair, tanned skin, emerald cat eyes, and like all male Nekos, Kael is large and heavily muscled. At 6 foot 7 and almost 130 kilos, he was the largest Neko from his family.

"No, that we are not my friend." Kael grinned and placed his arms on the back of the couch.

Riddick looked over at the Elf sitting with his socked feet on Kael's lap. "And how are you feeling this afternoon, Selhir?"

The white haired Elf smiled slightly and rubbed his flat stomach. "At the moment? Fine. The nausea was gone shortly after you left this morning."

Selhir had, at the moment, a slim toned build. He's about the same height as Elijah at 182 cm and weighed 75 kilos. Selhir's eyes were an ice blue and his skin smooth and pale. He kept his long white hair in a tight braid down his back most of the time with only his bangs framing his face. Being a full Elf, his pointed ears are only slightly longer than Elijah's.

"Good. You'll be ok in a few months though." Riddick grinned. "You'll be fatter, but at least you won't be throwing up anymore."

Selhir huffed and threw a pillow at him. "It's not smart to tease the one who cooks your food Riddick."

Riddick just laughed. "Oh, almost forgot." Riddick said, pulling out a letter. "This came with the rest of the drop off." He handed it to Selhir and then turned his attention back to Elijah.

"Speaking of the 'drop off', where's the supplies? You were gone an awfully long time to have come back with just a letter." Kael grinned.

Riddick glared at Elijah's father. "It's all still in the skiff waiting for your lazy ass to go and unload it all."

Kael just laughed.

Elijah sighed and rubbed a sore spot on his belly.

"Kicking you again?" Riddick asked lightly massaging the spot Elijah's hand vacated.

"Yeah. I think he wants out." Elijah said smiling.

"Well, he's only got another two months to go." Riddick said softly.

Elvin pregnancies only lasted seven months and almost always had a long, hard labor.

"Yeah. I can't wait until he's born." Elijah said.

Riddick was about to agree when he was interrupted by Selhir's excited voice.

"I don't believe it!"

Riddick and Elijah looked up at the Elf with raised eyebrows.

"What is it ata?" Elijah asked.

"Your brother found a mate!" Selhir responded, pulling a picture from the envelope and handing it to them.

They looked down at the photo. It was a woman who looked to be in her late twenties to early thirties, she wasn't an attention grabber and if you passed by her on the street you probably wouldn't look twice, but she was beautiful in her own right. She had long brown hair and dark brown eyes, her skin was smooth and tan and there were a couple laugh lines on her smiling face. The slight muscles on her toned body had to come from years of hard training and weight lifting.

"It says here that her name is Eve Logan, but she goes by her last name. That sounds familiar." Selhir remarked dryly to Riddick. "She's twenty-nine, human, and is a competitive boxer in both the women's division and in the men's lightweight." Selhir finished. He read the rest of the letter silently and then grinned. "He's bringing her home to meet us…and judging by the date this was sent out, I'd say they should be here any day now."

Elijah smiled happily and handed the picture to his father. He looked behind him at his mate and grinned. "Looks like you finally get to meet my big brother."

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

It was two nights later and Elijah was staring up at the ceiling in his and Riddick's room. He bit his lip and glanced over at his sleeping mate. He was hungry. Again. He didn't want to wake up his mate since he was pretty sure it hadn't been that long since he'd had his last snack. Then again...he was eating for two.

"Riddick?" Elijah whispered.

"Mmm?" Came the sleepy response.

"I'm hungry."

It was quiet for a second and then Riddick gave a resigned sigh. He opened his eyes and looked up at the ceiling. "What time is it?"

Elijah looked over at the clock on the nightstand and grimaced. 2:30 am. He had been right. It hadn't been that long since he'd last eaten. He sighed and slowly turned onto his right side to look at his mate. "Never mind. I can wait until breakfast."

Riddick grunted and turned to face his lover. He grinned. "I didn't say I wouldn't go, I just wanted to know what time it was." He propped up on his elbow and looked over Elijah's shoulder. "2:31." He looked down at Elijah. "Do you know that you just had three sandwiches barley an hour ago?"

Elijah licked his lips when he thought about the yummy food his mate had fixed for him earlier. He grinned and shrugged his left shoulder. "Thank you."

Riddick chuckled and placed a kiss on Elijah's lips. He stood up and grabbed his black pants off the chair in the corner. "What do you want?"

"Um…heat me up some of that stew we had for dinner." Elijah replied.

"Ok. I'll be back in a minute." Putting his goggles on, Riddick left their room and went downstairs. He walked into the kitchen and turned the lights on to sixty percent.

As he was putting a bowl of stew in the warmer, he heard a noise coming from the front hall. Lowering the lights, he moved his goggles to rest up on his forehead and started towards the front room. He stopped in the darkened doorway and looked out in to the front hallway. He could see two figures standing by the door; a man and a woman.

(Riddick?) Elijah asked. (What's taking so long?)

(Someone's in the house.) Riddick replied watching the two people as they talked in the hallway. They were too quiet for him to hear though, even with the advanced abilities he had received when he mated with Elijah. He pulled a shiv from a hidden compartment in the wall.

(That's impossible. The only way someone can enter this cottage, is if they have the master key—which dad has—or if they've had their blood keyed into the system by a member of the family.) Elijah stated.

(I know that Elijah. That was my idea, remember?) Riddick replied dryly.

(What are they doing?)

(Just standing in the front hallway talking. I can't hear them.)

(Riddick…everybody who's been keyed into the system is already in the house except…) Elijah's voice trailed off.

(Except…?) Riddick asked. (Elijah?)

(I'm coming down.) Came Elijah's excited voice.

(Down? Elijah—) Riddick was cut off by his mate's excited voice in the front hall.

"Donny!"

"Ooof!"

Riddick rolled his eyes at the site of his pregnant mate trying to hug the man in the hallway, the woman gave them an indulgent smile as she was pushed aside by an over excited Elijah. 'Donny' or rather, 'Donovan', Riddick knew to be the name of Elijah's older brother; so the woman with him must be his mate, Eve Logan. Riddick lowered his goggles and turned the lights on. He put the shiv back in its place.

Riddick stepped in to the front room and the three in the entry hall turned to face him.

"Who are you?" Donovan asked, moving his younger brother and the woman behind him. Finally getting a good look at Elijah's brother, Riddick saw that Donovan looked almost exactly like his father, Kael, and was almost as large. Even though he was half Elf, Donovan looked like a full blooded Neko, with no visible Elvin features.

"Oh don't be silly." Elijah said pushing his brother out of the way. He smiled at Riddick and motioned him over. He looked back at his brother and introduced him. "This is my mate Riddick. I told you about him in my letters."

Donovan smiled sheepishly and stuck out his large hand. He laughed slightly. "Sorry about that then. I guess I'm a little over protective of him."

Riddick glanced at Elijah's smiling face and rolled his eyes behind his goggles. He reached out and shook Donovan's hand briefly. "You're not the only one. He tends to get himself into trouble. You have to keep a constant watch on this one."

Donovan laughed. "Exactly."

"Hey!" Elijah protested.

Donovan reached out and grabbed the woman's arm to pull her close to his side. "This is my mate Eve Logan. Logan, this is my brother Elijah and his mate Riddick."

She said hello and shook hands with Elijah and Riddick.

"Where's ata and dad?" Donovan asked. "I want to introduce them to Logan too." He smiled as he put an arm around her shoulders.

Riddick smirked and folded his arms across his chest. "You're parents are still sleeping as it is almost three in the morning."

Donovan grimaced and looked down at his watch. "It is isn't it?" He looked back up. "Well, why are the two of you up then?"

As if in answer, a beeping noise came from the kitchen. "That's why we're up." Riddick said as he walked back in to the kitchen.

Elijah grinned at his brother, "I was hungry."

"Again." Riddick called out from the kitchen and Elijah laughed.

"Again." Elijah agreed. Donovan and Logan laughed as well.

" I guess we'll just go on to bed then and introduce Logan to ata and dad in the morning. Which room is ours?" Donovan asked.

"You guys are downstairs. Just go down this hall here, it's the last door on the right. I'll see you two in the morning." Elijah, being much shorter than his older brother, had to stand on his toes to kiss Donovan's cheek. "It was nice meeting you Logan. Goodnight."

"Night." Donovan and Logan replied at the same time and then disappeared up the dark stairway.

"Elijah." Riddick called from the kitchen.

"Coming, dear." Elijah replied cheekily, and then went into the kitchen. He smiled when Riddick huffed at being called 'dear'.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

**Two Months Later**

Loud screams of pain sounded from Elijah's and Riddick's room where Elijah was trying to give birth to his first-born son. He'd been in labor for almost a full day and he was beginning to lose his strength. He squeezed Riddick's hand again when another contraction hit. "Fuck!" Elijah's body was dripping with sweat and his face was flushed from the pain. He closed his eyes; he was just so tired.

Riddick replaced the rag on Elijah's forehead with a fresh one. The coolness of it caused Elijah to open his eyes again. "Hey there." Riddick spoke softly.

Elijah gave him a small exhausted grin.

Riddick brought Elijah's hand to his lips and kissed his knuckles. "You're doing great, baby."

Elijah sighed and closed his eyes again.

The healer came back in to their room just then to check on Elijah. He smiled at Riddick and then looked at a large screen that showed a real time video of the baby's position inside Elijah's belly. "Looks like it's time to push Elijah."

Elijah smiled briefly at his mate and then grimaced when pain hit him again.

The healer got down between Elijah's legs and checked out the birthing channel and then looked back up at them. "Alright, Riddick. I need you to get on the bed behind Elijah and make sure you two have as much physical contact as possible. He's going to need your strength for this."

Riddick did as he was told and let Elijah rest his weight against his chest. He grabbed both his mate's hands and kissed Elijah's temple. "You can do this Elijah. You're almost done, and you'll finally be able to hold our little boy in your arms."

Elijah nodded and then started pushing when the healer told him to. The pain was awful, but so worth it when he was looking at his baby boy in the healer's arms ten minutes later.

"Riddick." Elijah whispered, not having the energy to talk any louder.

Riddick tore his gaze away from his newborn son and looked down at his mate. He moved to sit on the bed next to his mate and brushed back his sweaty bangs. "What is it? Do you need anything?"

Elijah smiled and shook his head slightly. "How's he look? Is he ok?" He couldn't see his son anymore since the healer had taken him to the table at the far side of the room to be checked out and cleaned up.

Riddick smiled. "He's perfect."

The healer came back over with their son in his arms. "I agree." He said with a smile. "Are you ready to hold him now?"

Elijah gave the healer a tired smile and looked up at Riddick. "Help me to sit up."

Riddick lifted his lover and placed a few pillows behind his back. The healer brought the baby closer and placed him in Elijah's arms.

Elijah and Riddick looked down at their newborn son in awe. "He's beautiful." Elijah said quietly. He rubbed his thumb against the baby's smooth cheek. His son opened his eye's and looked at him. They were a stunning ice blue.

"Would you like me to let them in?" The healer asked.

Elijah shook his head. "In a moment."

The healer nodded and left the room. He looked up at the group of four staring at him expectantly. He smiled at them. "Elijah is doing great. They wish to have a few moments with their son and then you can go in." He looked at Selhir, "if there are any complications, give me a call and I'll be over as soon as I can. As you well know, the birthing channel closes immediately after the birth of the child, so all you'll need to be concerned about is keeping Elijah comfortable. He's going to be tender for a few days. Otherwise I'll see you in another month to give you a check up."

Selhir nodded and rubbed his own baby bump.

"I'll see him out." Logan said and Selhir smiled gratefully.

When Logan returned a few minuets later the four of them quietly entered the room. Riddick was sitting up against the headboard on Elijah's right, so Selhir sat down on the other side of the bed. Kael, Donovan and Logan stood quietly behind Selhir and looked down at the newest member of the family.

Selhir peered down at the tiny baby in Elijah's arms and smiled. "He's beautiful."

Elijah rested his head against Selhir's shoulder. He smiled down at the sleeping baby in his arms.

"Have you thought of a name yet?" Selhir asked.

"Yes." Elijah replied and sat up slowly. He looked at Selhir and grinned. "We've decided on an elvish name."

"Really?" Selhir whispered.

Elijah nodded and looked over at Riddick. "We thought, with your permission ata, we'd call him Nindir." Elijah said.

Selhir's eyes filled with tears. "I would be honored…and I know that your uncle would be honored as well."

Nindir is Selhir's twin brother. He's been missing for over a thousand years and was thought to be dead by everyone, except Selhir and his family.

"Nindir it is then." Elijah said smiling down at his sleeping son.

Elijah looked up at his mate and grinned at his awed expression. "I want another one."

Elijah laughed at the unexpected comment. "Riddick." He shook his head. "My love, we have an eternity to have hundreds of children…which, by the way, we are NOT doing, so don't get any ideas. But I would like to have a few more. Just not right now. Let's wait a year or two ok?"

Riddick grinned at the thought of Elijah birthing hundreds of babies.

"Wait…an eternity?"

Elijah, Riddick, Kael, and Selhir looked over in Donovan and Logan's direction. Logan had a very confused expression on her face.

Donovan gave them a small sheepish smile. "It um…never came up?"

"Donovan…" Selhir started but his voice failed him.

Elijah picked where Selhir left off. "Are you seriously telling me that the subject of your AGE never came up?"

"She knows how old I am." Donovan said defensively.

"Donovan, you should have covered all this stuff BEFORE you bonded. Now you need to take Logan and go to your room. You have a lot of things to explain." Kael told his eldest son.

Donovan nodded and the two left.

Elijah looked down at a sleeping Nindir. "And that was your Uncle Donny. He can be a bit daft sometimes."

The others laughed quietly.

After staying for another twenty minutes, Kael and Selhir left the new family alone to get some rest.

Riddick took Nindir from Elijah when he started to fall asleep. Elijah opened his eyes and smiled at Riddick. "I love you."

Riddick smiled back, "Love you too." He watched as Elijah closed his eyes and fell asleep. Riddick walked over to the window with his son and looked out at the frozen landscape. He looked down at Nindir when he felt a tiny hand grab on to his shirt. Nindir's eyes were open and he was staring up at him. "I thought babies were supposed to be loud, huh? You haven't even cried yet." Nindir yawned and Riddick tucked the baby blanket a bit tighter around him. "Think we can keep it that way kid?"

Nindir yawned again and closed his eyes.

"Welcome to the world, Nindir." He looked back out the window and watched as the snow came down. His eyes narrowed when he saw a large black shape begin to form off in the distance. It was a ship, and it was coming their direction. The proximity alarm started going off. It woke both Elijah and Nindir.

His son's eyes were wide and he jumped in Riddick's arms. Riddick took his eyes off the approaching ship and looked down at his son's surprised face.

The alarm was still blaring when Nindir opened his mouth wide and let out a wail.

Riddick sighed and glanced back out the window again. He started rocking his son to get him to quiet down but with the alarm still going, that wasn't going to be happening anytime soon.

Elijah appeared at his side and took Nindir from him. He cuddled him close and followed his mate's line of site out the window.

"Looks like trouble."

Riddick grunted and gave a relieved sigh when the alarm was finally shut off. "Looks like it."

Kael's voice suddenly sounded in the room. "There's an unknown ship approaching. Entering lockdown."

The window went dark when a black panel covered it from the outside. Riddick went over to the other side of the room and turned on the monitor so he could see what was going on outside. He glanced back at Elijah and saw him slowly make his way over towards their son's bed. Nindir had stopped crying and fell back asleep. After placing Nindir in his bed he made his way over to Riddick just in time to see the ship pass by their cottage.

A merc ship. Elijah knew it had to be there for him and Riddick. "Riddick?"

Riddick turned the monitor off when the ship was out of site. He faced his mate; Elijah looked worried. "Everything's going to be fine. We'll just stay inside until they leave the planet. They don't know we're here, otherwise they would have landed." Riddick pulled him close and wrapped Elijah tightly in his arms.

Elijah nodded and rested his head against Riddick's shoulder. He could see their son's bed out of the corner of his eye. He pulled his head back and looked up at his mate. "Nindir-"

Riddick interrupted. "Our son will be fine. No one will get to him while I'm still breathing. Especially no merc."

Elijah put his head back against Riddick's chest and closed his eyes. He trusted his mate completely. Riddick would protect them. They would be fine. Nindir would be fine. No one could hurt them.

Elijah's eyes opened again and he turned his head to look at his son's bed again. He gave a low growl, and may the Valor help whoever tried.

End.

Look for the sequel sometime soon! I haven't started it yet, but I've got some ideas.


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